Compare towns
Surry vs Reading vs Gilsum
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%).
Reading has the most people working from home (22.9%).
Gilsum has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | Reading | Gilsum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Highest |
699Lowest |
716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-7.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1Lowest 15% above U.S. |
51.1±7.6Highest 31% above U.S. |
44.8±8.1 15% above U.S. |
| Reading and Gilsum 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% |
18.5%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
12%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Surry and Reading 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% |
28.2%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% |
46%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
18.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Surry and Reading 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. |
$85,000±$19k 5% above U.S. |
$80,417±$7kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Surry and Reading 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 |
$377,200±$72kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$241,500±$32kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Reading 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. |
$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,575±$894 11% above U.S. |
| Surry and Gilsum are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384Highest 105% above U.S. |
$5,754 84% above U.S. |
$5,579Lowest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
63.3%±31.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
76.5%±55.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gilsum and Reading 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% |
8.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Highest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 17% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 25% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.9%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76 | Monadnock Regional School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.