Compare towns
Belgrade vs Surry vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belgrade has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Belgrade | Surry | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,351Highest |
1,836Lowest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6Lowest 6% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Surry and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13kHighest 18% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Belgrade and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
| Readfield and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 6% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 7% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Belgrade 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 | #71 of 133 in ME | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.5 |
| 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.