Compare towns
Rockland vs Ellsworth vs Paris
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Paris has the most renters (39.8% 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 | Rockland | Ellsworth | Paris |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,035 |
8,657Highest |
5,317Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
| Rockland and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$75,137±$20k about the ME average |
| Ellsworth and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38kHighest 17% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$240,400±$57kLowest 19% below ME |
| Rockland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
— |
| Rockland and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$2,649Lowest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948Lowest 29 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
22 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.4%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Paris 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #114 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 17/MSAD 17 |
| High school in town | Oceanside High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| 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.