Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Upton vs Bath vs Surry
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).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
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 | Upton | Bath | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,657 |
8,189 |
8,815Highest |
1,836Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
52.4±5.6Highest 35% above U.S. |
| Surry and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.6%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Surry and Bath 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% |
53.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
38.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath 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. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$74,508±$12k 8% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$296,300±$36k 11% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Highest 26% below U.S. |
$969±$129 31% below U.S. |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 5% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$1,903Lowest 39% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
65.8%±59.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 same as U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min 7% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
31 min 17% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.4%±5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Bath 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Surry Public Schools |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Blackstone Valley | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | None yet | 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.


