Compare towns
Surry vs Sidney 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 the oldest population (median age 52.4).
Sidney has the most kids (23.1% under 18).
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 | Sidney | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
4,790 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
43±5.5Lowest 4% below ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Surry and Sidney 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% |
23.1%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Sidney 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% |
18.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.1% ME: 36.2% |
33.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$83,488±$10kHighest 12% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$336,200±$34kHighest 13% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$1,340±$304Highest 18% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Sidney 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 |
$2,474 19% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.4%±17.5Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
14.3%±5.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Sidney 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 | — | #15 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | RSU 18 | 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.