Compare towns
Windham vs Dover vs Swanzey
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the highest household income ($190k).
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Swanzey has the most affordable homes ($259k median).
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 | Windham | Dover | Swanzey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,038 |
33,364Highest |
7,398Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +16.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+0.6%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±2.9 5% below NH |
36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
50±3.1Highest 15% above NH |
| Kids under 18 | 27.4%±3.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
16.9%±1.8Lowest NH: 18.2% |
18%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Age 65+ | 15.5%±2.6Lowest NH: 20.1% |
16.8%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.2%±4.2Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.7%Highest NH: 40.6% |
52% NH: 40.6% |
30.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.8%±1.8 NH: 6% |
6.2%±1.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.4%±2Lowest NH: 6% |
| Dover and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $189,583±$19kHighest 91% above NH |
$94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$81,595±$11kLowest 18% below NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $723,300±$50kHighest 80% above NH |
$436,700±$20k 8% above NH |
$259,200±$15kLowest 36% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $3,218±$350Highest 116% above NH |
$1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,508±$303Lowest about the NH average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,249 24% above NH |
$5,558Lowest 17% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.2%±50.9 NH: 48.2% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
67.7%±19.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Swanzey and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
8.3%Highest NH: 7.2% |
7.8% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.9%Highest NH: 72.8% |
52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
71.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 17 yrs newer than NH |
1976Lowest 3 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 15% above NH |
23 minLowest 15% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 21.9%±4.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
18.6%±2.5 NH: 16.8% |
9.3%±4Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Windham and Dover 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 | #13 of 120 in NH | #64 of 120 in NH | #102 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Windham School District | Dover School District | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Dover Senior High School | Monadnock Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
12.8Highest |
| 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.