Compare towns
Surry vs Exeter vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has the most homeowners (88.6%).
Exeter has the most people working from home (19.9%).
Ellsworth 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 | Surry | Exeter | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
16,151Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 35% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Surry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36k 11% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 31% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Surry and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 5 photos → |
U.S. 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.