Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Surry vs Hermon
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 affordable homes ($242k median).
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
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 | Surry | Hermon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
1,836Lowest |
6,727 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
+19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Hermon 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% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
| Hermon 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 |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$333,600±$32kHighest 12% above ME |
| Hermon 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 |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
| Hermon 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,761 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
28.2%±19.1Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
75.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Surry and Hermon 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 | — | #54 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Surry Public Schools | Hermon Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Hermon High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.6Highest |
| 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.