What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanzey has the shortest commute (24 min average).

Mason has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Swanzey	Mason
People
Population	7,398Highest	1,451Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6%	+4.8%Highest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH	43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average
Kids under 18	18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2%
Age 65+	24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1%	15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6%	39.5%Highest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Highest NH: 6%	1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6%
	Swanzey and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH	$111,090±$3kHighest 12% above NH
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH	$384,000±$21kHighest 5% below NH
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average	$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH
	Mason and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,558Lowest 17% below NH	$7,049Highest 6% above NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.7%±19.4Lowest NH: 48.2%	87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2%
	Mason and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest NH: 7.2%	4.7%Lowest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	90.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Lowest 1 yr older than NH	1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below NH	41 minHighest 53% above NH
Work from home	9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8%	20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#102 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Mason School District
High school in town	Monadnock Regional High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	12.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.