Compare towns
Alna vs Surry vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Alna has the most kids (32.9% under 18).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mercer has the most people working from home (20.5%).
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 | Alna | Surry | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 818 |
1,836Highest |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.7±10.5Lowest 9% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
| Surry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 32.9%±5.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.8%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Surry and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,125±$16kHighest 25% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$71,107±$2kLowest 5% below ME |
| Alna and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $367,400±$55kHighest 24% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$238,500±$32kLowest 20% below ME |
| Alna and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,088±$176 4% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Mercer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,667Highest 21% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±70.4 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 2.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 16.4%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mercer and Alna are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Surry Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
ME 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.