Compare towns
Bucksport vs Dedham vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bucksport has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Bucksport | Dedham | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,016Highest |
1,656Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.7±12.2Lowest 5% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.9%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.6%±7.7 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Dedham and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,720±$21kLowest 13% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $252,300±$32kLowest 15% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Dedham and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $882±$92Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Dedham and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,021 33% below ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±17 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Bucksport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 15% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±5.9 ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Bucksport 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 | #68 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 25 | Dedham Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bucksport High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
— | — |
| 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.