Compare towns
Winchester vs Swanzey vs Northfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winchester has the most affordable homes ($243k median).
Swanzey has the most people working from home (9.3%).
Northfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+0.9%).
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.
| Measure | Winchester | Swanzey | Northfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,212Lowest |
7,398Highest |
4,971 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+0.6% NH: +4.6% |
+0.9%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±4.5Lowest about the NH average |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
42.6±5.1Lowest 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 | 18.9%±4.7 NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.3%±4.9Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Northfield and Winchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.9%±3.9 NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 20.3%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
23.7% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2 NH: 6% |
5.1%±2.5Highest NH: 6% |
| Northfield and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $67,723±$11kLowest 32% below NH |
$81,595±$11k 18% below NH |
$92,917±$15kHighest 6% below NH |
| Northfield and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,900±$20kLowest 40% below NH |
$259,200±$15k 36% below NH |
$288,500±$33kHighest 28% below NH |
| Northfield and Swanzey are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,209±$143 19% below NH |
$1,508±$303Highest about the NH average |
$1,076±$182Lowest 28% 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 | $5,314 20% below NH |
$5,558Highest 17% below NH |
$5,097Lowest 24% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±17.7 NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
24.1%±14.1Lowest 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 | 14.1%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.8%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.7%Highest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
71.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1979Highest same as NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 7% above NH |
24 minLowest 9% below NH |
26 min 4% below NH |
| Work from home | 4.3%±2.4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Highest NH: 16.8% |
6.9%±3.6 NH: 16.8% |
| Swanzey and Northfield 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 | #120 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH | #109 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Winchester School District | Monadnock Regional School District | Winnisquam Regional School District |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.