Compare towns
Exeter vs Nelson 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 expensive homes ($457k median).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
Surry has the shortest commute (22 min average).
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 | Nelson | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,151Highest |
648Lowest |
1,052 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-13.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 45.8±2.3Highest 6% above NH |
42.3±11.7Lowest 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% |
27.5%±6.6Highest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Nelson and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
24.8%±2Highest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
| Nelson and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.2% NH: 40.6% |
61.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
31.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest 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±$13kHighest 11% above NH |
$99,792±$23kLowest about the NH average |
$110,125±$25k 11% above NH |
| Exeter and Surry 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 |
$340,900±$49k 15% below NH |
$331,400±$23kLowest 18% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,856±$223 24% above NH |
$1,203±$243Lowest 19% below NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
| Surry and Exeter 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 |
$5,575Lowest 16% below NH |
$6,384 4% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
40%±68.8 NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Nelson 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% |
1.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
3.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 69.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.2% NH: 72.8% |
91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest same as NH |
1975Lowest 4 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest 7% below NH |
24 min 9% below NH |
22 minLowest 18% below NH |
| Work from home | 19.9%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
31.5%±8Highest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Nelson 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 | Nelson 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.