Compare towns
Augusta vs New Gloucester vs Ogunquit vs Chelsea
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 most renters (46.2% rent).
New Gloucester has the youngest population (median age 40.1).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Chelsea has the most affordable homes ($182k median).
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 | Augusta | New Gloucester | Ogunquit | Chelsea |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
5,766 |
1,379Lowest |
2,823 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.2±3.6 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.3 ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Chelsea are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
20.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±1.7Lowest 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 | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,471±$10k 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $201,000±$18k 32% below ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$182,300±$37kLowest 39% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,150±$249 about the ME average |
— | $1,373±$90Highest 21% above ME |
| Chelsea and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$3,417 13% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,313Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
15%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 24% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
36 minHighest 48% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #65 of 133 in ME | — | #93 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — | RSU 12 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.