Compare towns
Rockland vs Surry vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Bath has the youngest population (median age 45.4).
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 | Rockland | Surry | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,035 |
1,836Lowest |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6 10% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
| Surry and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
| Bath and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948 29 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Bath 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | — | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | Surry Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Oceanside High School | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.