What stands out worked out from the figures below

Surry has the most affordable homes ($296k median).

Hooksett has the highest household income ($118k).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Surry	Hooksett
People
Population	1,836Lowest	15,057Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.4±5.6Highest 35% above U.S.	41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.
Kids under 18	16.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hooksett and Surry 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%	17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	39.6%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	8.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,508±$12kLowest 8% below U.S.	$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$296,300±$36kLowest 11% below U.S.	$407,000±$26kHighest 22% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$969±$129Lowest 31% below U.S.	$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,903Lowest 39% below U.S.	$6,554Highest 110% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65.8%±59.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.7%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Surry and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	80.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Lowest 7 yrs newer than U.S.	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	27 minLowest about the U.S. average
Work from home	11.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	13.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Hooksett 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	—	#30 of 120 in NH
School district	Surry Public Schools	Hooksett School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

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.