Compare towns
Penobscot vs Appleton vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k 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 | Penobscot | Appleton | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
1,360 |
1,836Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Appleton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14k 15% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Penobscot and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 23% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Penobscot Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| 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.