Compare towns
Augusta vs Ogunquit vs Sanford vs Presque Isle
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).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
Presque Isle has the most affordable homes ($147k 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 | Ogunquit | Sanford | Presque Isle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
1,379Lowest |
22,247Highest |
8,736 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42.1±2.8Lowest 6% below ME |
44.1±3.5 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3 ME: 18.1% |
| Sanford and Augusta 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
26.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Presque Isle and Ogunquit 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$72,524±$7k about the ME average |
$55,768±$6k 25% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Sanford 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
$147,200±$11kLowest 50% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79 19% below ME |
— | $1,152±$72Highest about the ME average |
$904±$54Lowest 21% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465 19% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,708 22% above ME |
$2,401Lowest 21% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
47.3%±9.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Presque Isle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.3% ME: 10.7% |
15.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
71.2% ME: 74.3% |
57.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 14% above ME |
14 minLowest 41% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.8%±2 ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | #100 of 133 in ME | #62 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | — | Sanford Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Cony | — | Sanford High School | Presque Isle High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
— | 17.7 |
13.7Lowest |
| 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.