Compare towns
Starks vs Surry vs Madison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Starks has the most affordable homes ($149k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Madison has the most people working from home (21.2%).
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 | Starks | Surry | Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 556Lowest |
1,836 |
2,676Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -7.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.7±9.4 4% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
44.9±12.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Surry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.6%±5.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.9%±7.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Madison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
18.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Madison and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,500±$8k 15% below ME |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$61,698±$20kLowest 17% below ME |
| Surry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $148,500±$27kLowest 50% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$163,900±$59k 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$301Highest 7% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$850±$218Lowest 25% below ME |
| Starks and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,348Lowest 56% below ME |
$1,903Highest 37% below ME |
$1,740 43% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±90.3 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.5%±13.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Starks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
38.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1953Lowest 24 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 33% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
31 minLowest 25% above ME |
| Work from home | 3.3%±2.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±14.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Madison and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Surry Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — |
| 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.