Compare towns
Auburn vs Bowdoin vs Ogunquit vs Poland
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 renters (40.9% rent).
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 | Bowdoin | Ogunquit | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602Highest |
3,188 |
1,379Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7Lowest 8% below ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.8%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Auburn and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5kLowest 11% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $282,000±$12kLowest 5% below ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74Lowest 9% below ME |
— | — | $1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
| Poland and Auburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,687 21% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland 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% |
11% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 12% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | — | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Highest |
— | — | 12.2Lowest |
| 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.