Compare towns
Surry vs Calais vs Alstead
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%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
Alstead has the oldest population (median age 56).
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 | Calais | Alstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
1,713Highest |
1,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais 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±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Surry and Calais 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 |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Calais and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,408±$392Lowest about the U.S. average |
— |
| Surry and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384 105% above U.S. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$5,322Lowest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1973Lowest 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
31 min 18% above U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Calais and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Fall Mountain Regional 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 |
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.