Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Salisbury vs Brewer
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 most affordable homes ($242k median).
Salisbury has the most people working from home (19.8%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 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 | Salisbury | Brewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
9,281 |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
51.3±3.5Highest 32% above U.S. |
40.1±4.8Lowest 3% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
13.1%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±4.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Brewer 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% |
25.5%±3.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.4%±3.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Salisbury and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
43.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
7.7%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Brewer 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±$18k 4% below U.S. |
$93,361±$6kHighest 16% above U.S. |
$66,613±$9kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Salisbury 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. |
$478,700±$27kHighest 44% above U.S. |
$245,300±$21k 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,691±$411Highest 20% above U.S. |
$1,086±$54 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,604Highest 48% above U.S. |
$3,374 8% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.9%±11.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Salisbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
59.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1959Lowest 21 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
17 minLowest 36% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #240 of 282 in MA | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Triton | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.0Highest |
| 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.