Compare towns
Acton vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Shapleigh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Acton has the most affordable homes ($334k median).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Shapleigh has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Shapleigh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,721 |
8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
2,976 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2 18% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
46.9±10 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Shapleigh and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.1%±4.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.8%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $78,750±$15kLowest 5% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,140±$9k 18% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34kLowest 13% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$356,000±$21k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $1,349±$133Lowest 18% above ME |
| Gray and Shapleigh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680 12% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,603Lowest 14% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
27.3%±61.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Acton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
95.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 64% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 min 32% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #43 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #76 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.