Compare towns
Appleton vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Newburgh
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Newburgh has the youngest population (median age 45.8).
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 | Appleton | Ogunquit | Wells | Newburgh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,379 |
11,713Highest |
1,475 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
45.8±5.7Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Newburgh and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$76,750±$10k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$244,600±$20k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$950±$219Lowest 17% below ME |
| Wells and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,748Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±13.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Newburgh are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
11.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
6.4%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.