Compare towns
Gilsum vs Surry vs Keene
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Keene has the most renters (44.9% rent).
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 | Gilsum | Surry | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 716Lowest |
1,052 |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
-1.5% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.8±8.1Highest 3% above NH |
44.7±5.1 3% above NH |
37.6±2.3Lowest 13% below NH |
| Gilsum and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12%±3.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
20.8%±6.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
14.1%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
| Surry and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±1.8Lowest NH: 20.1% |
23.3%±7Highest NH: 20.1% |
19.5%±1.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Surry and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.7%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
31.7% NH: 40.6% |
44.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.3Lowest NH: 6% |
6.6%±6.6 NH: 6% |
13.8%±1.4Highest NH: 6% |
| Keene and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,417±$7k 19% below NH |
$110,125±$25kHighest 11% above NH |
$78,445±$8kLowest 21% below NH |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $241,500±$32kLowest 40% below NH |
$331,400±$23kHighest 18% below NH |
$252,500±$12k 37% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,575±$894 6% above NH |
$1,955±$374Highest 31% above NH |
$1,342±$68Lowest 10% below NH |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,579Lowest 16% below NH |
$6,384 4% below NH |
$6,812Highest about the NH average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76.5%±55.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
44.5%±6.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Gilsum and Keene are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.4%Highest NH: 7.2% |
3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
10.1% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.5%Highest NH: 72.8% |
91.6% NH: 72.8% |
55.1%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 7 yrs older than NH |
1977Highest 2 yrs older than NH |
1961Lowest 18 yrs older than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the NH average |
22 min 18% below NH |
17 minLowest 36% below NH |
| Work from home | 11.9%±8.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
16%±7.1Highest NH: 16.8% |
15.6%±2.7 NH: 16.8% |
| Surry and Keene 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 | — | — | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Monadnock Regional School District | — | Keene School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Keene High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.3 |
| 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.