Compare towns
Deerfield vs Lee vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Deerfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.4%).
Lee has the most people working from home (27.6%).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($331k 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 | Deerfield | Lee | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,932Highest |
4,576 |
1,052Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.4%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.4%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±4.2Lowest about the NH average |
42.9±1.9 about the NH average |
44.7±5.1Highest 3% above NH |
| Surry and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±4.1 NH: 18.2% |
21.9%±5.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.5%±3.5Lowest NH: 20.1% |
22.6%±6.8 NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Surry and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.3% NH: 40.6% |
50.6%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.8Lowest NH: 6% |
5.4%±2.6 NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Surry and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $131,563±$10k 33% above NH |
$131,579±$54kHighest 33% above NH |
$110,125±$25kLowest 11% above NH |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $421,000±$33k 5% above NH |
$480,600±$61kHighest 19% above NH |
$331,400±$23kLowest 18% below NH |
| Lee and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,593±$318Lowest 7% above NH |
— | $1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
| Surry and Deerfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,369 11% above NH |
$9,661Highest 45% above NH |
$6,384Lowest 4% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.4%±17.6Lowest NH: 48.2% |
38.3%±53.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3 NH: 48.2% |
| Lee and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
2.6%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
95.8%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 6 yrs newer than NH |
1987Highest 8 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 28% above NH |
28 min about the NH average |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 22.4%±6.3 NH: 16.8% |
27.6%±8.8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lee and Deerfield 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 | #61 of 120 in NH | #3 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Deerfield School District | Oyster River Coop School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 10 photos → | 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.