Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Naples vs Brewer
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%).
Naples has the most people working from home (26.7%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Naples | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657 |
3,985Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Naples and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest 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% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Naples and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.9% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest 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 |
$78,188±$13kHighest 5% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Naples 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 |
$340,100±$48kHighest 15% above ME |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
$1,086±$54 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1 ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.5% ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #118 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Lake Region High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.7Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.