Compare towns
Appleton vs Strong vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most renters (17.4% rent).
Strong has the most people working from home (18.5%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Appleton | Strong | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,249Lowest |
1,836Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Strong and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Appleton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Strong and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.