Compare towns
Phippsburg vs Owls Head vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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 | Phippsburg | Owls Head | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,238Highest |
1,482Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
52.6±6.6 17% above ME |
52.4±5.6Lowest 17% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Owls Head and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Phippsburg and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
$413,300±$43kHighest 39% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Owls Head and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,022±$346 10% below ME |
$1,191±$386Highest 5% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Owls Head and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,034 33% below ME |
$2,981Highest about the ME average |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Owls Head and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 13 | 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.