Compare towns
Surry vs Wayne 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%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,154 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Lowest 17% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
| Wayne and Penobscot 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
29.2%±3.8Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29kHighest 22% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Wayne 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 |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Wayne 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 |
$3,289Highest 8% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 38 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.