Compare towns
Jay vs Surry vs Canton vs Warren
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jay has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Surry has the most expensive homes ($296k median).
Canton has the most people working from home (16.1%).
Warren has the highest household income ($75k).
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 | Jay | Surry | Canton | Warren |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,657 |
1,836 |
1,191Lowest |
4,932Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+13.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.4±7.2 8% below ME |
42.2±2.2 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Canton and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.7%±6.6 ME: 22.4% |
12%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.7% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.7% ME: 36.2% |
21.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
5%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Warren and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$52,458±$35kLowest 30% below ME |
$74,616±$21kHighest about the ME average |
| Warren and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $168,600±$27k 43% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$165,000±$50kLowest 44% below ME |
$232,700±$32k 22% below ME |
| Surry and Warren are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $759±$141 33% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$485±$18Lowest 57% below ME |
$1,125±$456Highest about the ME average |
| Warren and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,245 26% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,277 25% below ME |
$2,832Highest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
88.9%±33.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
52.1%±29.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Canton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
8.4% ME: 10.7% |
6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 42% above ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
16.1%±6.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.6%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Canton and Warren 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | — | — | #120 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 73 | Surry Public Schools | — | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| 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.