What stands out worked out from the figures below

Swanzey has the most people working from home (9.3%).

Winchester has the youngest population (median age 42.6).

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	Winchester
People
Population	7,398Highest	4,212Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.6%Highest NH: +4.6%	-4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6%
Median age	50±3.1Highest 15% above NH	42.6±4.5Lowest about the NH average
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2%	18.9%±4.7Highest NH: 18.2%
	Winchester and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1%	17.9%±3.9Lowest NH: 20.1%
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.2%Highest NH: 40.6%	20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2Highest NH: 6%	2.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6%
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$81,595±$11kHighest 18% below NH	$67,723±$11kLowest 32% below NH
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$259,200±$15kHighest 36% below NH	$242,900±$20kLowest 40% below NH
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,508±$303Highest about the NH average	$1,209±$143Lowest 19% below NH
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,558Highest 17% below NH	$5,314Lowest 20% below NH
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2%	45%±17.7Lowest NH: 48.2%
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2%	14.1%Highest NH: 7.2%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	71.7%Lowest NH: 72.8%	72.7%Highest NH: 72.8%
Typical home builtmedian year	1978Highest 1 yr older than NH	1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 9% below NH	29 minHighest 7% above NH
Work from home	9.3%±4Highest NH: 16.8%	4.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8%
	Swanzey and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#102 of 120 in NH	#120 of 120 in NH
School district	Monadnock Regional School District	Winchester 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.