Compare towns
South Thomaston 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
South Thomaston has the shortest commute (16 min average).
Cushing has the most people working from home (18.5%).
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 | Cushing | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,381Lowest |
1,460 |
1,836Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±11.3Highest 21% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
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% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Surry 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% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest 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% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9%±9.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| South Thomaston and Cushing 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 |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| South Thomaston and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $341,300±$37k 15% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
| Cushing and South Thomaston 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 |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,442 13% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 63.6%±43.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest 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% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 36% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.3%±4Lowest 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 | |||
| School district | — | RSU 13 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.