Compare towns
Dover vs Surry vs Gilsum
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dover has the most renters (47.3% rent).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Dover | Surry | Gilsum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 33,364Highest |
1,052 |
716Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% NH: +4.6% |
+12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 36.9±1.9Lowest 15% below NH |
44.7±5.1 3% above NH |
44.8±8.1Highest 3% above NH |
| Gilsum and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±1.8 NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
12%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
| Surry and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.8%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.3%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.7% NH: 40.6% |
18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.2 NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
| Surry and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,829±$7k 4% below NH |
$110,125±$25kHighest 11% above NH |
$80,417±$7kLowest 19% below NH |
| Surry and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $436,700±$20kHighest 8% above NH |
$331,400±$23k 18% below NH |
$241,500±$32kLowest 40% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,607±$100 8% above NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
$1,575±$894Lowest 6% above NH |
| Surry and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,249Highest 24% above NH |
$6,384 4% below NH |
$5,579Lowest 16% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.6%±6.3 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
76.5%±55.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Gilsum and Dover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.3% NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
13.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 52.7%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 3 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1972Lowest 7 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
27 minHighest about the NH average |
| Work from home | 18.6%±2.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
11.9%±8.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Dover and Surry 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Dover School District | — | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | Dover Senior High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — |
| 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.