Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Gray vs Rockland
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).
Rockland has the most people working from home (22.1%).
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 | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
8,429 |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland 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% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest 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% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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 |
$95,236±$8kHighest 27% above ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% 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 |
$245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Rockland 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
12.5 |
10.7Lowest |
| 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.