Compare towns
Friendship vs Mapleton vs Surry vs Cushing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Friendship has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k 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 | Friendship | Mapleton | Surry | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,213Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,836 |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
| Friendship and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Friendship and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,625±$22k about the ME average |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $275,000±$56k 7% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$53 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,218 27% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.