Compare towns
Roxbury vs Eliot vs Nelson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Roxbury has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Nelson has the most people working from home (31.5%).
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 | Roxbury | Eliot | Nelson |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 299Lowest |
7,146Highest |
648 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +8.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-13.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.2±17.7 11% above U.S. |
50.8±5.9Highest 31% above U.S. |
42.3±11.7Lowest 9% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Roxbury are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±11.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±6.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±10.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±6.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.8%±2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Eliot and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.4%±15.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.9%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Roxbury and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,226±$14kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$101,522±$10kHighest 26% above U.S. |
$99,792±$23k 24% above U.S. |
| Eliot and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $323,100±$219kLowest about the U.S. average |
$498,900±$62kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$340,900±$49k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,948±$471Highest 38% above U.S. |
$1,203±$243Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,787Highest 86% above U.S. |
$4,549Lowest 46% above U.S. |
$5,575 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.1%±20.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
40%±68.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Eliot and Nelson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
90.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 21% below U.S. |
23 min 15% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 0.7%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
31.5%±8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Nelson School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.