What stands out worked out from the figures below

Freeport has the most people working from home (21.2%).

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

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	Freeport	Ellsworth
People
Population	8,802Highest	8,657Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6%	+8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME	43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME
	Freeport and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1%	18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Freeport and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Freeport and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	59.6%Highest ME: 36.2%	39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Ellsworth and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME	$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME
	Freeport and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME	$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME	$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,042Highest 66% above ME	$3,262Lowest 7% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	62%±18.9Lowest ME: 48.4%	62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Ellsworth and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	9.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	77.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME	1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest 4% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9%	7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#4 of 133 in ME	#63 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 05	Ellsworth Public Schools
High school in town	Freeport High School	Ellsworth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	12.2Lowest	12.7Highest
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.