Compare towns
Surry vs Dresden 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%).
Dresden has the oldest population (median age 55.1).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% 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 | Surry | Dresden | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
1,645Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Dresden and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Dresden 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% |
24.8%±8 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% ME: 36.2% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest 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 | $74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$74,844±$22k about the ME average |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Surry and Ellsworth 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 |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Dresden 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 |
$2,500 18% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest 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% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 26% above ME |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 02 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.