Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gray vs Orland
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 expensive homes ($364k median).
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
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 | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
8,429 |
1,915Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest 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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland 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±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$69,348±$29kLowest 7% below 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±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$363,700±$20kHighest 23% above ME |
$277,100±$20k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Gray 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 |
$3,683Highest 21% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 16% above ME |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.