Compare towns
Calais vs Middlesex vs Surry vs Dummerston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Calais has the youngest population (median age 42).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12%).
Dummerston has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Calais | Middlesex | Surry | Dummerston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,713 |
1,943 |
1,052Lowest |
2,090Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
44.7±5.1 15% above U.S. |
45.6±11.7Highest 17% above U.S. |
| Dummerston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
20.8%±6.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21.7%±6 U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.3%±7 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.3%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Dummerston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 55.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
31.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
58.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.6%±6.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.3%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,625±$27kLowest 25% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$110,125±$25kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$101,696±$21k 26% above U.S. |
| Surry and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$331,400±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$335,300±$22k about the U.S. average |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,408±$392 about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,955±$374Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,392±$126 about the U.S. average |
| Surry and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$6,384 105% above U.S. |
$4,536Lowest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49%±38.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.3%±74.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.1%±32.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Calais and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
92.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±10.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Dummerston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | — | Windham Southeast Unified Union School District #96 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.