Compare towns
Cornish vs Surry vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Hancock has the most expensive homes ($437k 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 | Cornish | Surry | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,816Highest |
1,052Lowest |
1,791 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.7% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
44.7±5.1Lowest 3% above NH |
53.8±4.5 24% above NH |
| Cornish and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.4%±3.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
15.4%±2.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Surry and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4.1 NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
30.2%±2.7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Hancock and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.6% NH: 40.6% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
53.9%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
4%±1.6 NH: 6% |
| Surry and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,821±$2kLowest 7% below NH |
$110,125±$25kHighest 11% above NH |
$95,208±$15k 4% below NH |
| Surry and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
$331,400±$23k 18% below NH |
$436,700±$22kHighest 8% above NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,221±$227 18% below NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
$1,208±$650Lowest 19% below NH |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,796Lowest 13% below NH |
$6,384 4% below NH |
$6,884Highest 3% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.5%±38.1Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3 NH: 48.2% |
32.4%±55.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Cornish and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
85.6%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 1 yr newer than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1969Lowest 10 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
33 minHighest 24% above NH |
| Work from home | 12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
14.9%±3.2 NH: 16.8% |
| Surry and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Cornish School District | — | Contoocook Valley School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.