Compare towns
Surry vs York 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%).
York has the most people working from home (26%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
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 | York | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,836Lowest |
13,986Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.4±5.6Highest 17% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Surry and York 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% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| York 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% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and York 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% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and York 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 |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| York 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 |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Lowest 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% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 26% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #13 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Surry Public Schools | York Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | York High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 9.6Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| 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.