Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Kittery vs Brewer 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 most affordable homes ($242k median).
Kittery has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Kittery | Brewer | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
10,473Highest |
9,652 |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Surry and Kittery 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% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Kittery 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% |
46%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer 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 |
$93,728±$14kHighest 25% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Kittery 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 |
$468,500±$31kHighest 58% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$4,518Highest 49% above ME |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
67.2% ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
20 min 19% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery 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 | #17 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Kittery Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
9.9Lowest |
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.