Compare towns
Orrington vs Readfield vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orrington has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
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 | Orrington | Readfield | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,853Highest |
2,651 |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
0%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.5±3.3 10% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±5.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.3% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $94,556±$10kHighest 27% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $309,000±$49k 4% above ME |
$326,400±$20kHighest 10% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Orrington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,167±$135Highest about the ME average |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Orrington and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,823 7% below ME |
$3,392Highest 12% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.9%±20.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.6% ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 13% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Orrington 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 | #41 of 133 in ME | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Orrington Public Schools | RSU 38 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.