Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Mapleton 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
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Mapleton | Brewer | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
1,884 |
9,652Highest |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Mapleton 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±$22k 18% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% 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 |
1977 same as 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 |
28 min 13% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Mapleton 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Brewer Public Schools | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Brewer High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 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.