Compare towns
Surry vs Mapleton vs Blue Hill 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
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 | Mapleton | Blue Hill | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
1,884 |
2,813 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
43±2.4 4% below 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.3%±7 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.2% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 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 |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Mapleton and Blue Hill 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$399,500±$82kHighest 35% above ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below 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±$129 15% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,038±$638Highest 9% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% 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 | $1,903 37% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,907 4% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.7% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 minLowest 15% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | — | #29 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Blue Hill Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.