Compare towns
Mapleton vs Surry vs Ellsworth vs Union
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Union has the most people working from home (15.9%).
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 | Mapleton | Surry | Ellsworth | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
1,836Lowest |
8,657Highest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mapleton and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Surry and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$3,276Highest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 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 | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Union and Surry 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 | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Surry Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.