Compare towns
Auburn vs Bangor vs Gray vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Auburn has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Auburn | Bangor | Gray | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602 |
31,938Highest |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Auburn and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% 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 | $282,000±$12k 5% below ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.8% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | Bangor High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1 |
13.3Highest |
12.5Lowest |
— |
| 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.