Compare towns
Surry vs Wade vs Orland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has the shortest commute (31 min average).
Wade has the most affordable homes ($157k median).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Wade | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
244Lowest |
1,915Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
53.6±18.5Highest 20% above ME |
50.6±4.2Lowest 13% above ME |
| Wade and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Wade 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% |
34.8%±10.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wade 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% |
33.2% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±4.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$41,818±$25kLowest 44% below ME |
$69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
| Surry and Orland 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 |
$157,100±$109kLowest 47% below ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
| Surry and Orland 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 |
— | $1,149±$177Highest about the ME average |
| Orland and Surry 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 |
$1,655Lowest 45% below ME |
$2,089Highest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minLowest 26% above ME |
34 min 37% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Surry Public Schools | — | — |
| High school 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.