Compare towns
Alfred vs Augusta vs Ogunquit vs Sanford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Augusta has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
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 | Alfred | Augusta | Ogunquit | Sanford |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,125 |
19,077 |
1,379Lowest |
22,247Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.1±2.8Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.7%±6.3 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Sanford and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.7% ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,321±$18k 10% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$72,524±$7k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,035±$432 9% below ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
— | $1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
| Sanford and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,543 17% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.1% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #74 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #100 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | Sanford Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Cony | — | Sanford High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 17.9Highest |
— | 17.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.