What stands out worked out from the figures below

Winthrop has the most people working from home (23.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Winthrop	Ellsworth
People
Population	6,191Lowest	8,657Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	43.6±5.3Highest about the ME average	43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME
	Winthrop and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	22.9%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1%	18.4%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Winthrop and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	23.4%±5Highest ME: 22.4%	22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Winthrop and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40%Highest ME: 36.2%	39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Ellsworth and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,470±$4kHighest 16% above ME	$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME
	Winthrop and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$294,800±$41kHighest about the ME average	$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME
	Winthrop and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$892±$319Lowest 22% below ME	$1,017±$195Highest 11% below ME
	Ellsworth and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,506Highest 15% above ME	$3,262Lowest 7% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.8%±22.4Lowest ME: 48.4%	62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4%
	Ellsworth and Winthrop are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Lowest same as ME	1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	35 minHighest 41% above ME	25 minLowest about the ME average
Work from home	23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9%	7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#12 of 133 in ME	#63 of 133 in ME
School district	Winthrop Public Schools	Ellsworth Public Schools
High school in town	Winthrop High School	Ellsworth High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.7Lowest	12.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.