Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Dedham vs Orland vs Gardiner
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%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
Gardiner has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
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 | Dedham | Orland | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
1,656Lowest |
1,915 |
6,088 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
46.5±2.2 4% above ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Orland and Dedham 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% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 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+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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±$18k 4% above ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
$69,348±$29kLowest 7% below ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below 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 | $242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$356,400±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
| Dedham and Orland 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 |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
7.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
87.5% ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 22% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
30 min 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Gardiner 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 | — | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | — | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | — | 11.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.