Compare towns
Rome vs Millinocket vs Cushing 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 the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Millinocket has the most affordable homes ($104k median).
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Millinocket | Cushing | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
4,115Highest |
1,460 |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-8.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2Lowest 8% above ME |
54.2±6.2Highest 21% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Millinocket and Surry 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% |
16.1%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Cushing 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% |
36.2%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Millinocket and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Millinocket 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 |
$51,007±$9kLowest 32% below ME |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Cushing 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 |
$103,800±$26kLowest 65% below ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$451±$130Lowest 60% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Cushing and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,829 40% below ME |
$1,580Lowest 48% below ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.2%±59.8 ME: 48.4% |
20.5%±11Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Rome are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
17.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1956Lowest 21 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 21% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Cushing 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 | — | #98 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Millinocket Public Schools | RSU 13 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Stearns Jr-Sr High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.