Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gray vs Brewer vs Dedham
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%).
Gray has the most people working from home (12.3%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
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 | Gray | Brewer | Dedham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
8,429 |
9,652Highest |
1,656Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
46.5±2.2Highest 4% above ME |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Dedham and Brewer 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Brewer 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% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Gray 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 |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME |
| Dedham and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$356,400±$33k 20% above ME |
| Gray and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME |
| Dedham and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$3,942Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 ME: 48.4% |
13%±85.3Lowest 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 min 16% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
9.3%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Gray and Dedham 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Brewer Public Schools | Dedham Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
12.5Lowest |
14.0Highest |
— |
| 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.