Compare towns
Exeter vs Mason 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
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Mason has the most kids (28.8% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Mason | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
1,451 |
1,052Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
43.7±2.3Lowest about the NH average |
44.7±5.1 3% above NH |
| Exeter and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±2.7Lowest NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7 NH: 20.1% |
| Exeter and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2%Highest NH: 40.6% |
39.5% NH: 40.6% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
| Surry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
$111,090±$3kHighest 12% above NH |
$110,125±$25kLowest 11% above NH |
| Mason and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $456,600±$21kHighest 13% above NH |
$384,000±$21k 5% below NH |
$331,400±$23kLowest 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223Lowest 24% above NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
$1,955±$374 31% above NH |
| Mason and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,814Highest 32% above NH |
$7,049 6% above NH |
$6,384Lowest 4% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Exeter 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% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 same as NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Mason and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mason School District | — |
| High school in town | Exeter High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 59 photos → | 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.