Compare towns
Dedham vs Surry vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
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 | Dedham | Surry | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,656Lowest |
1,836 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Surry and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Dedham and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Dedham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Dedham 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 | Dedham Public Schools | Surry Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| 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.