Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Surry vs Thomaston
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 youngest population (median age 43).
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 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 | Surry | Thomaston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
1,836Lowest |
2,769 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
| Thomaston and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thomaston 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 ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Thomaston 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% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% below ME |
| 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 |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
| Surry and Thomaston 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 |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
| Thomaston 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 |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Lowest 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest 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 | — | #99 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Surry Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| 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.