Compare towns
Surry vs Gray vs Union
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%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k median).
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
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 | Gray | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
8,429Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Surry and Gray 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Gray 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% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Union 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Gray and Union 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Gray and Union 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 |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 minLowest 16% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Gray 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— |
| 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.