Compare towns
Bath vs Hope vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Surry has the oldest population (median age 52.4).
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 | Bath | Hope | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,748Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Hope and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$373,400±$33kHighest 26% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Hope and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Hope and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Hope 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 | #31 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hope Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.