Compare towns
Surry vs Ellsworth vs Blue Hill
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Ellsworth | Blue Hill |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
8,657Highest |
2,813 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
| Surry and Blue Hill 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% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7 ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Blue Hill 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% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill 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±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$80,377±$17kHighest 8% above ME |
| Blue Hill 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±$36k about the ME average |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
| Blue Hill and Surry 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 |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,038±$638Highest 9% below ME |
| Blue Hill 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 |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
$2,907 4% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Surry 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 | #29 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Blue Hill Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| 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.