Compare towns
Rome vs Gray vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rome has grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Gray has the highest household income ($95k).
Surry has the most affordable homes ($296k median).
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 | Rome | Gray | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±9.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,639±$25k 4% above ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $329,300±$36k 11% above ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Gray and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.