Compare towns
Surry vs Exeter 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%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
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 | Exeter | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
1,093Lowest |
2,813Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
52.6±7.7Highest 17% above ME |
48.6±8.2Lowest 8% above ME |
| Exeter and Surry 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% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Blue Hill 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% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Exeter 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 |
$84,408±$12kHighest 13% above ME |
$80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
| Exeter 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±$36k about the ME average |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
| Blue Hill and Surry 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$1,038±$638Highest 9% below ME |
| Blue Hill and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903 37% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,907Highest 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8Lowest 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Lowest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill 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 | — | — | #29 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | — | Blue Hill Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.