Compare towns
Surry vs Bar Harbor vs Whitefield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Surry | Bar Harbor | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
5,244Highest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| Bar Harbor and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Whitefield 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 | — | #2 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.