What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).

York has the most people working from home (26%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Ellsworth	York
People
Population	8,657Lowest	13,986Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME	49.5±5.2Highest 10% above ME
	York and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1%
	York 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%	27.9%±3.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	York and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	53.1%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Ellsworth and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME	$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME	$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME	$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME
	York and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,262Lowest 7% above ME	$4,658Highest 53% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4%	56.5%±10.8Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Ellsworth and York 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%	5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	81.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME	1977Lowest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	24 minLowest 4% below ME
Work from home	7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#63 of 133 in ME	#13 of 133 in ME
School district	Ellsworth Public Schools	York Public Schools
High school in town	Ellsworth High School	York High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.7Highest	9.6Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.