Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Ossipee vs Surry
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 shortest commute (25 min average).
Ossipee has the highest household income ($91k).
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).
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 | Ossipee | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
4,521 |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+0.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
50±4.6 29% above U.S. |
52.4±5.6Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Surry and Ossipee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
19.5%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Ossipee 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.3%±5.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Ossipee 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
24.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Ossipee 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% below U.S. |
$90,521±$22kHighest 12% above U.S. |
$74,508±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
| Ossipee 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 27% below U.S. |
$325,500±$23kHighest about the U.S. average |
$296,300±$36k 11% below U.S. |
| Ossipee and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
$1,601±$245Highest 13% above U.S. |
$969±$129Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 5% above U.S. |
$4,401Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,903Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72%±16.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±59.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ossipee and Surry 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% |
8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 27% above U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
5.3%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Surry and Ellsworth 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 | #100 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Governor Wentworth Regional School District | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | 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 |
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.