Compare towns
Appleton vs Ellsworth vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Appleton | Ellsworth | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
8,657Highest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Ellsworth and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Appleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Appleton 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.