Compare towns
Surry vs Dummer vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has the most people working from home (11.4%).
Dummer has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Dummer | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
299Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +8.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 35% above U.S. |
53.6±6.4Highest 38% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Dummer 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 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Dummer 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±4.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
16.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kLowest 8% below U.S. |
$91,250±$21kHighest 13% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Dummer and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kHighest 11% below U.S. |
$242,200±$51kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| 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 31% below U.S. |
— | $1,017±$195Highest 28% below U.S. |
| Ellsworth and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903Lowest 39% below U.S. |
$2,898 7% below U.S. |
$3,262Highest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
25 min 5% below U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | — | 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 | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.