Compare towns
Eliot vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Eliot | Surry |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,146Highest |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot and Surry 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.