Compare towns
Gardiner vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Gardiner | Surry |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 6,088Highest |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gardiner and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Gardiner and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742Highest 10% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 22% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner 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 | #36 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— |
| 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.