Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Paris vs Rockland
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%).
Paris has the most renters (39.8% rent).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 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 | Paris | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
5,317Lowest |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland and Paris 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% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Paris 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% |
24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Paris 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% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$75,137±$20k about the ME average |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Paris 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 |
$240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
$245,800±$38kHighest 17% below ME |
| Rockland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
— | $1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
| Rockland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Ellsworth 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
62% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
22 min 9% below ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Paris 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 | #114 of 133 in ME | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.