Compare towns
Orland vs Perham vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orland has the most people working from home (17%).
Perham has the most affordable homes ($118k median).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
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 | Orland | Perham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,915 |
326Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.6±4.2 13% above ME |
53±12.9Highest 18% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Perham and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.6%±8.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Perham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Perham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.4% ME: 36.2% |
18.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,348±$29k 7% below ME |
$62,500±$22kLowest 16% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,100±$20kHighest 7% below ME |
$117,600±$9kLowest 60% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Orland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$177Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Orland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,089 31% below ME |
$1,641Lowest 46% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.1% ME: 10.7% |
2.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.5% ME: 74.3% |
92.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 62% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17%±11.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±7.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Orland and Perham 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 | — | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.