Compare towns
Surry vs Jay 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%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Whitefield has the most people working from home (13.5%).
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 | Jay | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
4,657Highest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below 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%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield and Jay 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%±4.7Lowest 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Jay and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$70,238±$19kLowest 6% below ME |
$73,875±$10k about the ME average |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$242,300±$24k 18% below ME |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Highest 15% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$895±$126 21% below ME |
| Surry and Whitefield 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 |
$2,245 26% below ME |
$2,366Highest 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
9.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield 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 | — | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 73 | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | None in town | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.