Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Penobscot 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).
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Penobscot | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
1,154Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Penobscot 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% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Penobscot 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% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
| Ellsworth and Surry 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 |
$296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Penobscot 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 11% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
| Penobscot 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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot and Surry 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 | Penobscot 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.