Compare towns
Acton vs Ogunquit vs Gray vs Wakefield
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1974).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Wakefield has the most affordable homes ($323k median).
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 | Ogunquit | Gray | Wakefield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,721 |
1,379Lowest |
8,429Highest |
5,405 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 52.9±4.2 36% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
49.4±4.1 27% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 13.1%±4 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.2%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.8%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
26.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
$100,976±$11k 25% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,300±$34k about the U.S. average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20k 9% above U.S. |
$322,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,375±$434Highest about the U.S. average |
| Wakefield and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,680Lowest 14% below U.S. |
$4,473Highest 43% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
$2,954 5% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±82.9Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
96.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 40 minHighest 53% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
36 min 35% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 18.2%±8.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±9.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #43 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #118 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Acton Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Wakefield School District |
| 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 |
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.