Compare towns
Surry vs North Windham 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%).
North Windham has the most people working from home (20.9%).
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | North Windham | Whitefield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
5,417Highest |
2,157 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
42±3Lowest 6% 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% |
16.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Whitefield 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest 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% |
37% ME: 36.2% |
32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| North Windham 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±$12k about the ME average |
$88,522±$8kHighest 18% above ME |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
| North Windham 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±$36k about the ME average |
$342,800±$29kHighest 16% above ME |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
| North Windham and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,248±$604Highest 10% above ME |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
| North Windham and Surry 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 |
$3,546Highest 17% above ME |
$2,366 22% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.7%±14.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
80.1%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 |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| North Windham and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Surry Public Schools | — | RSU 12 |
| 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.

