Compare towns
Exeter 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
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
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 | Exeter | Surry | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093Lowest |
1,836 |
2,157Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
51.9±5.2Lowest 16% above ME |
| Exeter and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Lowest 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+ | 15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Whitefield and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Exeter and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% 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 | $995±$386Highest 13% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| Exeter and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$2,366Highest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest 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 | — | Surry Public Schools | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.