Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Lancaster vs Hermon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Lancaster | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
8,606 |
6,727Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+19.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Highest 11% above U.S. |
41.1±4.7Lowest 6% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
21.6%±4.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Hermon and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±4.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S. |
$96,629±$22k 20% above U.S. |
| Lancaster and Hermon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$519,100±$60kHighest 56% above U.S. |
$333,600±$32k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$1,406±$202 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 5% above U.S. |
$7,235Highest 132% above U.S. |
$2,761Lowest 11% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
2000Highest 20 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
23 minLowest 14% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #145 of 282 in MA | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Nashoba | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.