Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Otis vs Belgrade
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%).
Otis has the oldest population (median age 54.7).
Belgrade has the most people working from home (20.4%).
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 | Otis | Belgrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
705Lowest |
3,351 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
| Otis and Belgrade 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% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.6%±6.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Belgrade and Ellsworth 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% |
20.9%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Belgrade 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% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade 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±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
| Otis and Belgrade 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 |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
$312,200±$44kHighest 5% above ME |
| Belgrade and Otis 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 |
$1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
| Otis 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 |
$2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$2,859 6% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100 ME: 48.4% |
17.2%±35.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5% ME: 74.3% |
93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.4%±8.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | — | #71 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Otis Public Schools | RSU 18 |
| 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 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.