Compare towns
Penobscot vs Ellsworth vs Dresden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Penobscot has the most people working from home (17.7%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Dresden has the most homeowners (88.2%).
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 | Penobscot | Ellsworth | Dresden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,154Lowest |
8,657Highest |
1,645 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
| Dresden and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 32.4% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
| Ellsworth and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,400±$58kHighest about the ME average |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
| Penobscot and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,141±$33 about the ME average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
| Dresden and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.7%±13.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Penobscot 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 | Penobscot Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 02 |
| High school 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 |
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.