Compare towns
Auburn vs Minot vs Ogunquit vs Bangor
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).
Minot has the most homeowners (96%).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
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 | Minot | Ogunquit | Bangor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 24,602 |
2,794 |
1,379Lowest |
31,938Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.4% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.4±2.7 8% below ME |
49±6.1 9% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±2.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% ME: 36.2% |
25.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $66,647±$5k 11% below ME |
$95,655±$17k 28% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Minot 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 |
$294,900±$26k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$74 9% below ME |
$878±$801Lowest 23% below ME |
— | $1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME |
| Bangor 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 |
$2,602Lowest 14% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.4%±7.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±40.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Auburn and Bangor 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% |
6.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 59.1% ME: 74.3% |
96%Highest ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 12% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.5%±2.7 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #110 of 133 in ME | #78 of 133 in ME | — | #37 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Auburn Public Schools | RSU 16 | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 |
| High school in town | Edward Little High School | None in town | — | Bangor High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.1Lowest |
— | — | 13.3Highest |
| 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.