Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Buxton vs Surry
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Buxton has the highest household income ($100k).
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 | Ellsworth | Buxton | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
8,512 |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Lowest 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+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$100,144±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Buxton and Ellsworth 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 |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$3,422Highest 13% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest 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 | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.3% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Buxton 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | None in town |
| 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.