Compare towns
Surry vs Ashby vs Keene
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Ashby has the most expensive homes ($391k median).
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 | Surry | Ashby | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
3,211 |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
50.5±3Highest 30% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Ashby and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
17%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Surry and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.5%±4.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $110,125±$25k 36% above U.S. |
$115,598±$9kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Ashby and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $331,400±$23k about the U.S. average |
$390,500±$30kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,200±$484Lowest 15% below U.S. |
$1,342±$68 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384 105% above U.S. |
$6,034Lowest 93% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
36.4%±53.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Keene and Ashby are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ashby 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 | — | #200 of 282 in MA | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | North Middlesex | 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 |
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.