Swanzey

Cheshire County•Monadnock Region•Population: 7,270

Overview

Swanzey is a rural town in Cheshire County just south of Keene, known for its cluster of historic covered bridges spanning the Ashuelot River. The town includes several distinct villages, including Swanzey Center and West Swanzey, each with its own small commercial cluster.

The Ashuelot River Rail Trail and surrounding conservation land provide hiking and biking close to home, while Swanzey's proximity to Keene gives residents access to a larger city's retail, dining, and cultural offerings without living within it.

Housing in Swanzey tends to be more affordable than in Keene itself, drawing families and residents who want small-town character with an easy commute into the Monadnock Region's largest city. The town's covered bridges remain a modest draw for visitors and photographers.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

•Covered bridges
•Near Keene
•Affordable
•River trails

✗ Cons

•Limited services
•Rural roads
•Small commercial base

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Swanzey.

2025 Local Tax Rate

$20.18

per $1,000 assessed value

2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate

$16.97

Equalization ratio: 84%

Municipal

$5.62

Local School

$11.03

State Education

$1.25

County

$2.28

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

Year	Total Rate	Effective Rate	Municipal	Local School	State Ed.	County
2025	$20.18	$16.97	$5.62	$11.03	$1.25	$2.28

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home Value	Estimated Annual Tax	Estimated Monthly
$250,000	$5,045	$420
$350,000	$7,063	$589
$500,000	$10,090	$841
$750,000	$15,135	$1,261
$1,000,000	$20,180	$1,682

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $20.18 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Open Full Calculator →Compare With Other Towns →View Statewide Rankings →

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High

79.5°F

Winter Avg High

35.7°F

Annual Snowfall

50.4 in

Annual Rainfall

48.1 in

Sunny Days/Year

265

Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 • Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston

105 mi

~136 min drive

Manchester

71 mi

~103 min drive

Portsmouth

113 mi

~153 min drive

Concord

57 mi

~93 min drive

Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap • Updated 7/3/2026

Safety & Crime

Safety Score

8/10

Crime Rate

9.35/1,000

Crime Trend

stable

Data source: FBI Crime Data Explorer (UCR) - https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/ • Updated 8/12/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score

25/100

Trail Miles

11.7

Boat Launches

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:9 miles

XC Ski Trails:0 miles

Economy & Demographics

💰Income

Median Household Income

$71,875

Per Capita Income

$39,536

Median Family Income

$97,782

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value

$235,400

Median Rent

$1,165/mo

Homeownership Rate

68.73%

💼Employment

Unemployment Rate

2.03%

In Labor Force

4,185

🎓Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher

15.76%

Total with Degree

906

👥Demographics

Median Age

51.7 years

Avg Household Size

2.24 people

Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) • Census Data Year: 2022 • Updated 7/3/2026

Condo Communities in Swanzey