Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Otis vs Surry
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Otis has the highest household income ($101k).
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 | Otis | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
705Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Otis and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±7.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Otis 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| Otis 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 |
$282,500±$23k 5% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| Surry 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 |
$969±$129Lowest 15% 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 |
$2,263 25% below ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±100Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.8% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
42 minHighest 69% above ME |
31 min 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Otis Public Schools | 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 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.