Compare towns
Surry vs Hampden 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Hampden has the most people working from home (21.3%).
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 | Hampden | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
7,896 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden 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% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$301,300±$38kHighest about the ME average |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Hampden 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 |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest 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% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden 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 | — | #6 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 22 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Hampden Academy | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
| 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.