Town · New Hampshire
Swanzey, New Hampshire
Swanzey, town, in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Swanzey had 7,461 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,270 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 7,398 (±24). GEOID 3300575700.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
7,461
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,270 · ACS 2020-2024: 7,398 ±24
Median household income
$81,595
±$11,254 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $99,031
Median home value
$259,200
±$15,352 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $402,500
Median gross rent
$1,508
±$303 (90% margin)
New Hampshire: $1,491
Where is Swanzey and what county is it in?
Swanzey is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. It covers 45.0 square miles of land, 162 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Swanzey: West Swanzey (CDP, 1,281 in 2020).
Swanzey is in the Keene, NH micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Swanzey, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 7,461 people lived in Swanzey on July 1, 2025, up 2.5% since 2020, in line with New Hampshire (+2.7%). The 2020 Census counted 7,270 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 7,398 (±24).
| Measure | Swanzey | Cheshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 7,398±24 | 77,297 | +199 |
| Households | 3,154±166 | 30,620 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.35±0.13 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 3,334±199 | 35,899 | no clear change |
Swanzey's population since 2000
From 6,800 in 2000 to 7,461 in 2025: up 9.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Swanzey as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Swanzey?
The median resident of Swanzey is 50.0 years old; 18.0% are under 18 and 24.2% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 4.4%. 2.7% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Swanzey | Cheshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.0±3.1 | 43.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 18.0%±2.6 pts | 17.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 24.2%±4.5 pts | 22.4% | – |
| Male | 50.6%±2.4 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4.4%±2.0 pts | 2.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 89.5%±3.7 pts | 91.4% | −5.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7%±1.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.9%±2.4 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3%±0.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.7%±1.4 pts | 2.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.4%±1.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.1%±3.3 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 14.8%±3.1 pts | 14.5% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.1%±3.4 pts | 6.2% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.3%±3.7 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 30.2%±6.0 pts | 35.5% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.3%±3.2 pts | 14.0% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.8%±4.2 pts | 89.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 4.1%±2.6 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Swanzey earn?
Half of Swanzey's 3,154 households earn less than $81,595 a year (±$11,254), against $83,329 in Cheshire County and $99,031 in New Hampshire. In 2015-2019 it was $80,018 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 7.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Swanzey | Cheshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $81,595±$11,254 | $83,329 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $92,959±$9,385 | $105,400 | – |
| Per capita income | $41,659±$3,803 | $43,485 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 7.8%±2.8 pts | 8.7% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 9.5%±6.4 pts | 9.0% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.1%±3.4 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 94.3%±3.0 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.5%±3.8 pts | 91.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Swanzey?
Owners occupy 71.7% of Swanzey's occupied homes and renters 28.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $259,200 by its owner (±$15,352). The median renter pays $1,508 a month including utilities, and 55.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Swanzey | Cheshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $259,200±$15,352 | $280,100 | +$46,659 |
| Median gross rent | $1,508±$303 | $1,276 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 55.4%±14.3 pts | 38.0% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,862±$68 | $1,947 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 71.7%±7.0 pts | 72.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 28.3%±7.0 pts | 27.3% | – |
| Housing units | 3,334±199 | 35,899 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±1.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±3.8 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 65.9%±6.4 pts | 69.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 8.4%±3.4 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.7%±0.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.9%±3.8 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.4%±6.5 pts | 27.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.7%±2.8 pts | 4.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Swanzey building?
Builders took permits for 9 new housing units in Swanzey in 2025 (9 in single-family houses), 1.2 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across New Hampshire.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Swanzey work and get to work?
83.5% of Swanzey's workers drive alone and 9.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.1%.
| Measure | Swanzey | Cheshire County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 68.4%±5.6 pts | 62.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1%±1.9 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 83.5%±4.9 pts | 74.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.0%±2.8 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Walked | 1.6%±1.9 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.3%±3.7 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 24.3 min±3.0 | 23.7 min | +4.9 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Swanzey?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Swanzey (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $81,468 (Tract 9709.01) to $82,546 (Tract 9709.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9709.01Cheshire County | 4,099 | $81,468 |
| Tract 9709.02Cheshire County | 3,299 | $82,546 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Swanzey) · Census block assignment files
How does Swanzey compare with other places in New Hampshire?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Swanzey is the 1,641st-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 32nd-most populous of 221 in New Hampshire.
Swanzey ranks 164th of 235 places in New Hampshire with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 32nd | 221 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 93rd | 187 |
| Residents per square mile | 133rd | 241 |
| Median household income | 164th | 235 |
| Per capita income | 175th | 240 |
| Median home value | 197th | 239 |
| Median gross rent | 74th | 221 |
| Poverty rate | 84th | 160 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 170th | 239 |
| Median age | 66th | 239 |
| Owner-occupied share | 166th | 241 |
| Work from home | 193rd | 214 |
| Travel time to work | 172nd | 241 |
Swanzey's figures with every place in New Hampshire (CSV)
Every place in New Hampshire, sortable · Compare Swanzey with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Swanzey?
11 of the 57 figures for Swanzey on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Swanzey are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.