Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gardiner vs Trenton
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%).
Trenton has the most expensive homes ($357k 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 | Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
6,088 |
1,599Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
43.5±7.7Highest about the ME average |
| Trenton 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% |
20.1%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Trenton 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% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Trenton and Ellsworth 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% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Trenton 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±$10k 4% below ME |
$60,455±$13kLowest 19% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner 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 |
$357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
$1,102±$241 3% below ME |
| Gardiner and Trenton 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 |
$2,310Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
77.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
29 min 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Gardiner and Trenton 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 | Trenton 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.