Compare towns
Surry vs Whitefield 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%).
Whitefield has the most people working from home (13.5%).
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 | Whitefield | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
2,157 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
51.9±5.2 16% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
17.6%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Whitefield 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%±4.6 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Whitefield 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% |
32.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Whitefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$73,875±$10kLowest about the ME average |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36kHighest about the ME average |
$242,300±$24kLowest 18% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Surry and Whitefield 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 |
$895±$126Lowest 21% below ME |
$1,017±$195Highest 11% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Surry 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 |
$2,366 22% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±22.1Lowest 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% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
91.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
13.5%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Whitefield 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 | RSU 12 | 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 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.