Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gardiner 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).
Gardiner has the most people working from home (13.9%).
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 | Gardiner | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
6,088 |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner 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% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner 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 |
$71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Ellsworth and Surry 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 |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Gardiner and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 22% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Surry 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 | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gardiner Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
11.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.