Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Buxton vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Buxton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Ellsworth | Buxton | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
8,512 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
45.5±3.9Highest about the ME average |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Buxton 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% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon 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% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$96,629±$22k 29% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon 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 |
$356,800±$21kHighest 20% above ME |
$333,600±$32k 12% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon 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 |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,406±$202 23% above ME |
| Buxton and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #104 of 133 in ME | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.