Compare towns
Trenton vs Franklin vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Trenton has the most expensive homes ($357k median).
Franklin has the most people working from home (12.2%).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Trenton | Franklin | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,599Lowest |
1,628 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7% ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7.7 about the ME average |
46±9.3Highest about the ME average |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Franklin and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Trenton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $60,455±$13kLowest 19% below ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,400±$36kHighest 20% above ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,102±$241Highest 3% below ME |
$888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Trenton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,310 24% below ME |
$2,231Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,262Highest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.3%±20.4 ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
15.7% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.3%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Franklin and Trenton 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 | Trenton Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school 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.