Compare towns
Acton vs Gray vs New Gloucester vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the highest household income ($158k).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Acton | Gray | New Gloucester | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,155Highest |
8,429 |
5,766 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.5±0.8 14% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 23.2%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| New Gloucester and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.6%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 79.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $158,230±$14kHighest 96% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Acton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $807,300±$20k 143% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,986±$155Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
$1,150±$249Lowest 19% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.7%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
24.7%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Acton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 35.9%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±6.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Acton 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 | #13 of 282 in MA | #10 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Acton-Boxborough | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — |
| High school in town | Acton-Boxborough Regional High | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.