Compare towns
Surry vs Cornish vs Dummerston 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%).
Cornish has the most homeowners (94.1%).
Dummerston has the most people working from home (25.9%).
Alstead has the most renters (24% 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 | Cornish | Dummerston | Alstead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
1,816 |
2,090Highest |
1,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-1.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
54±8.3 39% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7 17% above U.S. |
56±3.3Highest 44% above U.S. |
| Alstead and Cornish 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% |
14.4%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dummerston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.3%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3 U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Alstead and Cornish 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% |
40.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±0.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Alstead 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. |
$91,821±$2k 14% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Surry and Dummerston 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 |
$296,000±$69k 11% below U.S. |
$335,300±$22kHighest about the U.S. average |
$271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Dummerston 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. |
$1,221±$227Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,796 86% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
$5,322 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
40.5%±38.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead and Dummerston 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% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
12%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Dummerston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Cornish School District | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.