Compare towns
Surry vs Brewer vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Brewer has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ellsworth has the highest household income ($77k).
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 | Surry | Brewer | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
9,652Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% ME: 36.2% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$245,300±$21k 17% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Surry and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,086±$54Highest 5% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Brewer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,374Highest 11% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Surry 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.