Compare towns
Lyman vs Surry vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyman has the most people working from home (18.9%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Alfred has the youngest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Lyman | Surry | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,612Highest |
1,836Lowest |
3,125 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±2Highest 20% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
44.9±5.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Lyman and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Alfred and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lyman and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,284±$14kHighest 17% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,400±$44kHighest 22% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$522Highest 7% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,035±$432 9% below ME |
| Lyman and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,717 11% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,543Highest 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±44.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
28 minLowest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lyman 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 | #40 of 133 in ME | — | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.