Compare towns
Freedom vs Surry vs Knox
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freedom has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k 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 | Freedom | Surry | Knox |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 670Lowest |
1,836Highest |
825 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±2.7Lowest 10% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
| Surry and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freedom and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Knox and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $64,861±$12k 13% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$64,821±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
| Surry and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $190,600±$69k 36% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,328Highest 23% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Freedom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
30 minLowest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Knox 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 | — |
| High school 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.