Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Orchard Beach has the most people working from home (15%).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 9,244Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Highest 13% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 11% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
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.