Surry

Cheshire Countyβ€’Monadnock Regionβ€’Population: 820

Overview

Surry is a small, rural town in Cheshire County just north of Keene, with forested hills and Surry Mountain Lake. The town has no significant commercial development.

Surry Mountain Lake, a flood-control reservoir, offers swimming, fishing, and boating, while the town's proximity to Keene provides access to a larger city's retail and job market. The town's low density keeps it quiet.

Housing in Surry remains affordable relative to Keene itself, drawing families and commuters who want rural, lake-adjacent living close to the Monadnock Region's largest city.

Pros & Cons

βœ“ Pros

  • β€’Lake access
  • β€’Near Keene
  • β€’Affordable
  • β€’Rural character

βœ— Cons

  • β€’No downtown
  • β€’Limited services
  • β€’Small population

Cost of Owning Here

Official property tax rates published by the NH Department of Revenue Administration, plus estimated tax bills for Surry.

2025 Local Tax Rate
$16.82
per $1,000 assessed value
2025 Effective (Equalized) Rate
$13.44
Equalization ratio: 80%
Municipal
$2.31
Local School
$10.90
State Education
$1.13
County
$2.48

Why "Effective Rate" is a better comparison

New Hampshire towns do not all assess property at the same percentage of market value. The state publishes an annual equalization ratio for every municipality showing how close local assessments are to full market value. A town that assesses homes at only 64% of market value will show an artificially high tax rate compared to a town that assesses at 100%. Multiplying the local rate by the equalization ratio produces an effective (equalized) rate that can be fairly compared across any two towns in the state.

YearTotal RateEffective RateMunicipalLocal SchoolState Ed.County
2025$16.82$13.44$2.31$10.90$1.13$2.48

Source: NH DRA

Example Tax Bills for 2025

Home ValueEstimated Annual TaxEstimated Monthly
$250,000$4,205$350
$350,000$5,887$491
$500,000$8,410$701
$750,000$12,615$1,051
$1,000,000$16,820$1,402

Estimates calculated using the 2025 local tax rate of $16.82 per $1,000 of assessed value. Actual tax bills depend on your property's specific assessed value and any exemptions or credits you may qualify for.

Climate & Environment

Summer Avg High
79.7Β°F
Winter Avg High
36Β°F
Annual Snowfall
52.7 in
Annual Rainfall
47.8 in
Sunny Days/Year
264
Data source: Open-Meteo / ERA5 β€’ Updated 7/4/2026

Transportation & Commute

Commute to Major Cities

Boston
107 mi
~143 min drive
Manchester
71 mi
~102 min drive
Portsmouth
113 mi
~152 min drive
Concord
58 mi
~92 min drive
Data source: OpenRouteService / OpenStreetMap β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Recreation & Outdoors

Outdoor Recreation Score
14/100
Trail Miles
6.3
0
Boat Launches
1
00

Winter & Camping

Snowmobile Trails:0 miles
XC Ski Trails:0 miles
0

Economy & Demographics

πŸ’°Income

Median Household Income
$93,750
Per Capita Income
$46,005
Median Family Income
$104,808

🏠Housing Costs

Median Home Value
$248,000
Median Rent
$1,250/mo
Homeownership Rate
94.19%

πŸ’ΌEmployment

Unemployment Rate
2.65%
In Labor Force
491

πŸŽ“Education

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
23.24%
Total with Degree
168

πŸ‘₯Demographics

Median Age
44.7 years
Avg Household Size
2.76 people
Data source: Census ACS 2022 (5-Year) β€’ Census Data Year: 2022 β€’ Updated 7/3/2026

Compare Surry with Other Towns

See how Surry stacks up against other NH communities.