Compare towns
Friendship vs Union vs Surry
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Union | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,213Lowest |
2,663Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.5±6.9Highest 24% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6 17% 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 37.3%±4.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 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% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Union and Surry 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 |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Union and Friendship 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 |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Friendship are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,370±$53Highest 20% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Friendship and Union 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 |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.9%±7.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Friendship and Union 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 40/MSAD 40 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.