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City · 8,657 residents · Hancock County, Maine

Ellsworth , Maine

In Ellsworth, a typical home is worth $242,300 and typical rent is $1,017 a month. Compared with all of Hancock County, the typical home value is 22% lower, typical household income is 6% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $242,300

    22% below the county

    18% below Maine

    • Ellsworth
    • Hancock
    • Maine

  • Typical rent

    $1,017a month

    4% below the county

    11% below Maine

    • Ellsworth
    • Hancock
    • Maine

  • Typical household income

    $77,375a year

    6% above the county

    4% above Maine

    • Ellsworth
    • Hancock
    • Maine

  • Households that own their home

    67%

    12 points below the county

    8 points below Maine

    • Ellsworth
    • Hancock
    • Maine

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$359,407
2.6% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Ellsworth is in Hancock County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Hancock County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Ellsworth apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Ellsworth has the largest share of rent-burdened renters of the 33 cities in Maine with more than 5,000 people: 62%.

  2. The typical home in Ellsworth is worth $242,300, 22% less than in Hancock County as a whole ($310,400).

  3. 67% of households in Ellsworth own their home, against 79% in Hancock County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Ellsworth

What homes there are in Ellsworth, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Ellsworth, but it weighs less than in Hancock County: 68% against 81%.

Year built

By age, homes in Ellsworth look like those in Hancock County: the typical year built is 1980.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,709 a month

Hancock County: $1,673 a month

Without a mortgage

$630 a month

Hancock County: $579 a month

Owners with a mortgage

69%

Hancock County: 53%

Owning costs about the same in Ellsworth as in Hancock County: with a mortgage, $1,709 a month; without one, $630.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Ellsworth rose 36% since 2015–2019, less than in Hancock County (46%).

The typical rent in Ellsworth rose 29% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Hancock County (30%).

Income in Ellsworth grew faster than housing: it rose 45%, while home values changed +36% and rent +29%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureEllsworthHancock CountyMaineUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate6.7%4.2%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.7%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.6%1.4%3.4%
People per household 2.232.142.262.53
Drive alone 71%68%71%69%
Carpool 13%12%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate5%4%3%
Work from home 7%14%16%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Hancock County, a household in Ellsworth has 2.23 people on average.

To get to work, 71% of workers in Ellsworth drive alone; in Hancock County, 68%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Ellsworth?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Ellsworth, worth $242,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 32% of the typical household income in Ellsworth, which is $77,375 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $89,675 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Hancock County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Ellsworth. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $8,481 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,092

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$237,911
Total interest
$342,298
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,092 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,805 a month

  • Tight

    $1,805 to $2,321 a month

    Your payment · 32%

  • Hard

    more than $2,321 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Ellsworth ($77,375 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,092
Principal & interest$1,612
Property tax$273
Home insurance$101
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$107

You need at least $8,481 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Ellsworth and Hancock County

Ellsworth is in Hancock County, Maine. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Ellsworth's own numbers

Typical home value
$242,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,017
Typical yearly household income
$77,375
Households that own their home
67%
Effective property tax rate
1.35%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Hancock County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,484
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+71%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.3%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Hancock County.

Everything about Hancock County

Buying

Buying a home in Ellsworth

A typical home in Ellsworth is worth $242,300: 22% below the county and 18% below Maine. With the typical household income in Ellsworth ($77,375 a year), a typical home costs 3.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Ellsworth 3.1 years
  • Hancock 4.3 years
  • Maine 4.0 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Hancock County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Hancock County rose 104% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Hancock County.

Period County Maine U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.7% +4.7% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +71% +68% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +104% +112% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Ellsworth next to Hancock County, Maine and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Ellsworth $242,300
  • Hancock $310,400
  • Maine $296,600
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Ellsworth $1,017
  • Hancock $1,061
  • Maine $1,139
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Ellsworth $77,375
  • Hancock $72,744
  • Maine $74,733
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Ellsworth next to Hancock County and Maine
Measure Ellsworth Hancock County Maine U.S.
Typical home value $242,300 $310,400 $296,600 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,017 $1,061 $1,139 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $77,375 $72,744 $74,733 $80,734
Households that own their home 67% 79% 74% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,262 $2,561 $3,036 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.35% 0.83% 1.02% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 62% 51% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Hancock County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Ellsworth

For a typical $242,300 home in Ellsworth, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Ellsworth's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,092a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,481
    Cash to close
    $15,750
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $107

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,048a month

    Down payment
    $12,115
    Cash to close
    $19,384
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $115

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,687a month

    Down payment
    $48,460
    Cash to close
    $55,729
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,911a month

    Down payment
    $36,345
    Cash to close
    $43,614
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Ellsworth and for Hancock County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Ellsworth

1.35%of the home’s value each year

$3,262 a year for the typical owner in Ellsworth.

  • Ellsworth 1.35%
  • Hancock 0.83%
  • Maine 1.02%

What Maine publishes Homestead exemption of up to $25,000 of value (Maine Revenue Services)

Exemptions and deadlines in Maine

Flood risk in Hancock County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Hancock County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.3%
620
Of those, with NFIP insurance
13%
County Maine U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.3% 1% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 13% 79% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Ellsworth

Typical rent in Ellsworth is $1,017 a month: 4% below the county. In Ellsworth, 62% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Hancock County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,484 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $28.54 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Hancock County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,163 $22.37 $46,520
1 bedroom $1,171 $22.52 $46,840
2 bedrooms $1,484 $28.54 $59,360
3 bedrooms $2,050 $39.42 $82,000
4 bedrooms $2,198 $42.27 $87,920

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Ellsworth

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Ellsworth is in ZIP code 04605.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,460: $24 less than the fair market rent for Hancock County ($1,484).

  • 04605 $1,460$2,020

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Ellsworth when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Ellsworth

HUD lists 5 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Ellsworth. These are the largest.

  • Oriole Way 3 Oriole Way, Ellsworth 50 low-income homes · 1 bd: 24 · 2 bd: 16 · 3 bd: 10 · In service since 2018 · For families
  • Union River Estates 430 Water St, Ellsworth 04605 50 low-income homes · Run by Ellsworth Housing Authority · Average payment: $467 a month · Average wait: 8 months (207) 288-4770
  • Ellsworth Congregate 21 Edgewood Way, Ellsworth 32 low-income homes · 1 bd: 28 · 2 bd: 4 · In service since 2003 · For older adults
  • Straw Way Family Housing 10 Straw Way, Ellsworth 29 low-income homes · 2 bd: 19 · 3 bd: 10 · In service since 2013 · For families
  • Leonard Lake Senior Housing 16 Wood St, Ellsworth 26 low-income homes · Studio: 2 · 1 bd: 20 · 2 bd: 4 · In service since 2014 · For older adults, people with disabilities

See all 15 buildings in Hancock County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Ellsworth

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Hancock County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Ellsworth

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Ellsworth or Hancock County. The ones below are statewide in Maine: they work in Ellsworth the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Maine

  • First Home Loan Program — Advantage

    Statewide in Maine

    With the Maine state agency's First Home mortgage, the buyer gets $5,000 for the down payment and closing costs (up to $14,000 for 2- to 4-unit homes), with no second mortgage. Offered by MaineHousing.

    Grant

    See the program Official page

  • First Generation Program

    Statewide in Maine

    Maine state agency mortgage with a rate 1% lower than its First Home mortgage and a $10,000 grant for the down payment and closing costs, with no second mortgage; for people who have never owned a home and never lived in a home their parents or guardians owned, or who were in foster care. Offered by MaineHousing.

    Grant

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Ellsworth

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Ellsworth, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Penquis Community Action Program

    262 Harlow St, Bangor · 21 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    (207) 973-3500

  • Four Directions Development Corporation

    20 Godfrey Dr, Orono · 24 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (207) 866-6545

  • Waldo Community Action Partners

    9 Field St Ste 201, Belfast · 28 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 2 more
    (207) 338-6809

All counseling agencies in Maine

Help in Spanish near Ellsworth

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Ellsworth

HUD’s record names them for Ellsworth or Hancock County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Ellsworth Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (207) 288-4770

4 other authorities have an office in Hancock County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Ellsworth, with the typical home value.

Everything about Hancock County Housing in Maine

Neighboring counties

If Hancock County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Ellsworth.

All guides
Three generations of a family gather on the porch of their home.

Questions

Housing questions about Ellsworth

Short answers with the numbers for Ellsworth and all of Hancock County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Ellsworth?

The typical home value in Ellsworth is $242,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Hancock County it is $310,400.

How much does it cost to rent in Ellsworth?

Typical rent in Ellsworth is $1,017 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Hancock County is $1,484.

What is the FHA loan limit in Ellsworth?

Ellsworth uses the FHA limit for all of Hancock County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Ellsworth?

The typical homeowner in Ellsworth pays $3,262 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.35% of the home’s value; in Hancock County, the rate is 0.83%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Ellsworth?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Hancock County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).