The Town FilesSwanzey, New Hampshire
Town in Cheshire County · population 7,270 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $259,200
- Household income
- $81,595
- Jan low / Jul high
- 10° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 60 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 50.0
Swanzey is a town of 7,270 people in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. The median home is worth $259,200, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). It ranks better for cycling than 96% of New Hampshire towns, easier by car than 89% of New Hampshire towns.
How Swanzey ranks
Percentile among New Hampshire towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of New Hampshire towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Swanzey is worth $259,200, below the typical New Hampshire town ($357,650). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $81,595, which is more affordable than 83% of New Hampshire towns. Median rent is $1,508 a month. 71.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Swanzey | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $259,200 | $357,650 |
| Median rent | $1,508 | $1,285 |
| Median household income | $81,595 | $94,107 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.8× |
| Homeownership | 71.7% | 82.1% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 3.4% | — |
Who lives in Swanzey
| People | Swanzey | Typical New Hampshire town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.0 | 46.3 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.2% | 22.3% |
| Under 18 | 18.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.2% | 36.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 11.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.7% | — |
| Work from home | 9.3% | 14.2% |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.5% | 92.5% |
Weather in Swanzey
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 10.4°F. About 46.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 59.8 inches of snow (typical New Hampshire town: 67.7 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Swanzey since 1950, compared with 5 for the typical New Hampshire town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 6, 1969 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 27, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 32 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on August 17, 1970.
Severe weather in Cheshire County since 1996
Cheshire County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 14, 2023 | Flood | DR-4740: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| October 4, 2021 | Flood | DR-4624: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| September 30, 2021 | Severe Storm | DR-4622: Severe Storm And Flooding |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4516: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3445: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cheshire County
Cheshire County had 31,134 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $59,392 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Swanzey itself the ACS puts it at 3.1%.
Public schools in Swanzey
3 public schools with 958 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monadnock Regional High School | 9-12 | 445 | 12.7 |
| Mt. Caesar Elementary School | PK-2 | 262 | 13.1 |
| Monadnock Regional Middle School | 7-8 | 251 | 15.7 |
Towns near Swanzey
- Keene, NH6.6 mi · 23,047 people · home $252,500
- Winchester, NH6.9 mi · 4,150 people · home $242,900
- Chesterfield, NH7.7 mi · 3,552 people · home $373,500
- Hinsdale, NH11.1 mi · 3,948 people · home $200,700
- Jaffrey, NH12.1 mi · 5,320 people · home $245,500
- Brattleboro, VT13.3 mi · 7,352 people · home $234,600
- Jaffrey, NH14.2 mi · 3,058 people · home $217,700
- Northfield, MA14.9 mi · 2,866 people · home $375,800
Swanzey questions
Is Swanzey, New Hampshire a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Swanzey scores better for retirees than 61% of New Hampshire towns and quieter than 48%. 24.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.0).
How much does a house cost in Swanzey?
The median owner-occupied home in Swanzey is valued at $259,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,595, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $1,508 a month.
What is the weather like in Swanzey?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 10.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 46.1 inches of precipitation a year and 59.8 inches of snow.
Does Swanzey get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Swanzey since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 6, 1969. The typical New Hampshire town has had 5.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)