Compare towns
South Thomaston vs Bath vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Thomaston has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | South Thomaston | Bath | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,381Lowest |
8,815Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±11.3Highest 21% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| South Thomaston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.8%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.8%±8.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| South Thomaston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Thomaston and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,838±$7kHighest 16% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| South Thomaston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,300±$37kHighest 15% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| South Thomaston and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $925±$633Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Bath and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,442 13% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.6%±43.5 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and South Thomaston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 36% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.3%±4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.