Compare towns
Surry vs Cushing vs Blue Hill
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%).
Cushing has the highest household income ($84k).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Cushing | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
1,460Lowest |
2,813Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
48.6±8.2Lowest 8% 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 | 16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Blue Hill and Cushing 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% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$83,500±$19kHighest 12% above ME |
$80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
| Cushing and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$399,500±$82k 35% above ME |
| Cushing and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,038±$638 9% below ME |
| Cushing and Blue Hill 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 |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$2,907 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1990 13 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill 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 | — | — | #29 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 13 | Blue Hill Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.