Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Mapleton vs Phillips vs Trenton
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%).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Phillips has the most people working from home (16.8%).
Trenton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
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 | Phillips | Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
1,884 |
1,094Lowest |
1,599 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-12.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.7±3.7Highest 11% above ME |
43.5±7.7 about the ME average |
| Phillips and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Phillips 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% |
21.3%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.5%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Trenton 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% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
20.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Trenton 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 |
$45,385±$12kLowest 39% below ME |
$60,455±$13k 19% below ME |
| 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$190,800±$18kLowest 36% below ME |
$357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$483±$377Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,102±$241Highest 3% below ME |
| Trenton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,582 15% below ME |
$2,310 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.4%±33 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±20.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Trenton 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.7% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Phillips and Trenton 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Trenton Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.