Compare towns
Surry vs Mount Desert 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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836 |
1,671Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Surry 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% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Mount Desert 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert 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 |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | 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.