Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Thomaston 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 youngest population (median age 43).
Thomaston has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).
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 | Thomaston | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Highest |
2,769 |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
58.1±6.6Highest 30% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% 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% |
19.2%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest 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% |
35.5%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 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% |
30.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$56,435±$13kLowest 24% 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 |
$271,700±$10k 8% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
| 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 |
$1,262±$343Highest 11% above ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below 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 |
$4,487Highest 48% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
60.5%±23.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest 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% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
73.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1951Lowest 26 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
14 minLowest 45% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Highest 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 | RSU 13 | 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.