Compare towns
Whitefield vs Surry vs Orland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Whitefield has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Whitefield | Surry | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,157Highest |
1,836Lowest |
1,915 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.7% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
50.6±4.2Lowest 13% 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 | 17.6%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest 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+ | 29.1%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Lowest 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+ | 32.7% ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $73,875±$10k about the ME average |
$74,508±$12kHighest about the ME average |
$69,348±$29kLowest 7% below ME |
| Surry and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$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 | $895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$969±$129 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 | $2,366Highest 22% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,089 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±22.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest 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 | 7.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minLowest 23% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 12 | Surry Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.