Compare towns
Surry vs Calais 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%).
Calais has the most people working from home (23.4%).
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 | Calais | Keene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
1,713 |
22,939Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1Highest 15% above U.S. |
42±8.6 8% above U.S. |
37.6±2.3Lowest 3% below U.S. |
| Surry and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±1.6Lowest 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%±7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Calais 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% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
13.8%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$78,445±$8kLowest 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. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $331,400±$23k about the U.S. average |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$252,500±$12kLowest 24% 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±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,342±$68Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Surry and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384Lowest 105% above U.S. |
$6,586 111% above U.S. |
$6,812Highest 118% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.5%±6.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Keene 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% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Lowest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±2.7Lowest 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 | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #81 of 120 in NH |
| School district | — | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | 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.