Compare towns
Rome vs Readfield 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+13.7%).
Readfield has the most people working from home (24.3%).
Cushing has the most expensive homes ($410k median).
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 | Readfield | Cushing | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,215Lowest |
2,651Highest |
1,460 |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +13.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.3±9.2 8% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Cushing 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% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Rome and Readfield 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% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest 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% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±4.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Rome and Cushing 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 |
$86,504±$8kHighest 16% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Cushing 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 |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$56 about the ME average |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 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 | $1,829Lowest 40% below ME |
$3,392 12% above 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% |
31.3%±100Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer 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 |
30 min 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.4%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Readfield and Cushing 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 | — | #20 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | RSU 38 | RSU 13 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.5 |
— | — |
| 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.