What stands out worked out from the figures below

Auburn has the most people working from home (11.5%).

Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Auburn	Ellsworth
People
Population	24,602Highest	8,657Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.4%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME	43±2.4Highest 4% below ME
	Ellsworth and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1%	18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Auburn and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4%	22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Ellsworth and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	39.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%	5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Auburn and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME	$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME
	Ellsworth and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$282,000±$12kHighest 5% below ME	$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,041±$74Highest 9% below ME	$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME
	Auburn and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,687Highest 21% above ME	$3,262Lowest 7% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	53.4%±7.4Lowest ME: 48.4%	62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Ellsworth and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	13.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3%	66.7%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	22 minLowest 12% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	11.5%±2.7Highest ME: 15.9%	7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Auburn and Ellsworth 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	#110 of 133 in ME	#63 of 133 in ME
School district	Auburn Public Schools	Ellsworth Public Schools
High school in town	Edward Little High School	Ellsworth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.1Highest	12.7Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.