Compare towns
Surry vs Thornton vs Cornish
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 the most kids (20.8% under 18).
Thornton has the most people working from home (29.8%).
Cornish has the most affordable homes ($296k 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 | Thornton | Cornish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,052Lowest |
2,799Highest |
1,816 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12%Highest NH: +4.6% |
+8.8% NH: +4.6% |
-1.5%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±5.1Lowest 3% above NH |
51.1±3.4 18% above NH |
54±8.3Highest 25% above NH |
| Cornish and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.8%±6.2Highest NH: 18.2% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest NH: 18.2% |
14.4%±3.2 NH: 18.2% |
| Surry and Cornish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.3%±7 NH: 20.1% |
19%±4.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
27.3%±4.1Highest NH: 20.1% |
| Cornish 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%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
46.3%Highest NH: 40.6% |
40.6% NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.6%±6.6Highest NH: 6% |
4.8%±2.9 NH: 6% |
1.4%±0.9Lowest NH: 6% |
| Surry and Thornton 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 11% above NH |
$90,022±$17kLowest 9% below NH |
$91,821±$2k 7% below NH |
| Surry and Cornish 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 |
$351,900±$20kHighest 13% below NH |
$296,000±$69kLowest 26% below NH |
| Thornton 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 31% above NH |
$1,270±$428 15% below NH |
$1,221±$227Lowest 18% below NH |
| Surry and Thornton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,384Highest 4% below NH |
$5,032Lowest 25% below NH |
$5,796 13% below NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±74.3Lowest NH: 48.2% |
57.7%±24.7Highest NH: 48.2% |
40.5%±38.1 NH: 48.2% |
| Thornton and Cornish 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% |
9.2%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.6% NH: 72.8% |
88.3%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
94.1%Highest NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest 2 yrs older than NH |
1984Highest 5 yrs newer than NH |
1980 1 yr newer than NH |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 18% below NH |
23 min 15% below NH |
24 minHighest 9% below NH |
| Work from home | 16%±7.1 NH: 16.8% |
29.8%±9.7Highest NH: 16.8% |
12%±4.1Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Thornton 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 | — | #18 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | Thornton School District | Cornish 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.