Compare towns
Dresden vs Surry vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dresden has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Whitefield has the most people working from home (13.5%).
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 | Dresden | Surry | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,645Lowest |
1,836 |
2,157Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
51.9±5.2Lowest 16% above ME |
| Dresden and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Whitefield and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Dresden and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| Dresden and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,500Highest 18% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 02 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| 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 |
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.