Compare towns

Rome vs Millinocket 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).
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).

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.

MeasureRomeMillinocketSurry
People
Population
1,215Lowest
4,115Highest
1,836
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13.7%Highest
ME: +2.6%
-8.7%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+11.3%
ME: +2.6%
Median age
48.3±9.2Lowest
8% above ME
54.2±6.2Highest
21% 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%
16.6%±3.7
ME: 18.1%
Rome and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
24.7%±9.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
36.2%±8.2Highest
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%
38.1%
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.2%±4.8Highest
ME: 5.8%
4%±2.9
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±$25kHighest
4% above ME
$51,007±$9kLowest
32% below ME
$74,508±$12k
about the ME average
Rome and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$329,300±$36kHighest
11% above ME
$103,800±$26kLowest
65% below ME
$296,300±$36k
about the ME average
Rome and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,150±$56Highest
about the ME average
$451±$130Lowest
60% below ME
$969±$129
15% below ME
Rome and Surry 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
$1,903Highest
37% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
54.2%±59.8
ME: 48.4%
20.5%±11Lowest
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%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
91.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
84.1%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
88.6%
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1986
9 yrs newer than ME
1956Lowest
21 yrs older than ME
1987Highest
10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
30 min
21% above ME
24 minLowest
about the ME average
31 minHighest
26% above ME
Work from home
7.4%±3.8
ME: 15.9%
6.6%±4.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
11.4%±5Highest
ME: 15.9%
Surry and Rome 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 Surry Public Schools
High school in town — Stearns Jr-Sr High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school —
11.6
—
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.