Compare towns
Harpswell vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harpswell has the most people working from home (20.7%).
Ellsworth has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
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 | Harpswell | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,046Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
| Harpswell and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
| 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.