Compare towns
Surry vs Naples vs Penobscot
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%).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Penobscot has the shortest commute (25 min average).
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 | Naples | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
3,985Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
49.8±6.8Lowest 11% above ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot 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% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
37.9% ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Naples and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$78,188±$13kHighest 5% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Naples 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±$36kLowest about the ME average |
$340,100±$48kHighest 15% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Naples and Penobscot 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 |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903 37% below ME |
$2,784Highest 8% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
9.5% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Naples and Penobscot 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 | — | #118 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Lake Region High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.7 |
— |
| 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.