Compare towns
Otis vs Appleton vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Otis has the highest household income ($101k).
Appleton has the most people working from home (11.1%).
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 | Otis | Appleton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 705Lowest |
1,360 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.7±3.1Highest 22% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Otis and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±7.8 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Otis are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.9%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.6%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,250±$27kHighest 35% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Otis and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,500±$23kHighest 5% below ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Otis and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,563±$734Highest 37% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Otis and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,263Lowest 25% below ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 35.7%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 42 minHighest 69% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 5.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth 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 | Otis Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None 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.