Compare towns
Surry vs Bennington vs Mason
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Bennington has the most affordable homes ($267k median).
Mason has the most people working from home (20.7%).
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 | Bennington | Mason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
1,588Highest |
1,451 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+4.8% NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1Highest 3% above NH |
42.1±7.8Lowest about the NH average |
43.7±2.3 about the NH average |
| Surry and Mason are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2Lowest NH: 18.2% |
26%±5.2 NH: 18.2% |
28.8%±6.3Highest NH: 18.2% |
| Mason and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7Highest NH: 20.1% |
15.2%±1.7Lowest NH: 20.1% |
15.6%±2.1 NH: 20.1% |
| Surry and Mason 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 NH: 40.6% |
33.6% NH: 40.6% |
39.5%Highest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
2.8%±1.3 NH: 6% |
1.8%±1.1Lowest NH: 6% |
| Surry and Bennington 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 11% above NH |
$83,875±$7kLowest 15% below NH |
$111,090±$3kHighest 12% above NH |
| Mason 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 18% below NH |
$267,300±$15kLowest 34% below NH |
$384,000±$21kHighest 5% below NH |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,955±$374 31% above NH |
$1,292±$150Lowest 13% below NH |
$2,530±$852Highest 70% above NH |
| Mason and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384 4% below NH |
$5,944Lowest 11% below NH |
$7,049Highest 6% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
37.2%±20.6 NH: 48.2% |
87.2%±42.4Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Mason and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7%Highest NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6%Highest NH: 72.8% |
74.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
90.7% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1978 1 yr older than NH |
1988Highest 9 yrs newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
37 min 38% above NH |
41 minHighest 53% above NH |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
14.7%±4.8Lowest NH: 16.8% |
20.7%±4.5Highest NH: 16.8% |
| Mason and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Contoocook Valley School District | Mason School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.