Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Brewer vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Ellsworth | Brewer | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657 |
9,652Highest |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$66,613±$9k 11% below ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$245,800±$38kHighest 17% below ME |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
| Rockland and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
62% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
17 min 31% below ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Brewer High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
14.0Highest |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.