Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gardiner vs Gray
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%).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
Gray has the most expensive homes ($364k 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 | Gardiner | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
6,088Lowest |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
43.4±4.5Highest 3% below ME |
| Gray 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% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gray 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% |
19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray 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 |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
| Gray 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 |
$221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
| Gray and Gardiner 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 |
$2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Gray 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% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Gray 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 | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gardiner Area High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
12.5 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.