Compare towns
Winthrop vs Ellsworth vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Winthrop has the most kids (22.9% under 18).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Winthrop | Ellsworth | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,191 |
8,657Highest |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.6±5.3Highest about the ME average |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
42.6±5.9Lowest 5% 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% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Winthrop and Durham 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%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $86,470±$4k 16% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $294,800±$41k about the ME average |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$322,200±$34kHighest 9% above ME |
| Durham and Winthrop 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 | $3,506 15% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,781Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.8%±22.4 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.5% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 41% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 23.1%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Winthrop and Durham 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 | #12 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Winthrop Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Winthrop High School | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.7Lowest |
12.7Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.