Compare towns
Steuben vs Ellsworth vs Chesterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Steuben has the most people working from home (11.8%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Chesterville has the most kids (31.3% under 18).
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 | Steuben | Ellsworth | Chesterville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,388Lowest |
8,657Highest |
1,397 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±8.5 10% below ME |
43±2.4Highest 4% below ME |
37.8±4Lowest 16% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.4%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
31.3%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Chesterville and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
15%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 18.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $76,466±$4k about the ME average |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$61,635±$10kLowest 18% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $173,900±$32kLowest 41% below ME |
$242,300±$22kHighest 18% below ME |
$214,000±$40k 28% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Chesterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $678±$319Lowest 40% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,088±$73Highest 4% below ME |
| Chesterville and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,029Lowest 33% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$2,194 28% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.3%±87.8 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
21.8%±30.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Steuben are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
12%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 14% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.8%±6.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Steuben 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 | RSU 24 | Ellsworth Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.