Compare towns
Bangor vs Gorham vs Ogunquit vs Waterville
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waterville has the most affordable homes ($185k 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 | Bangor | Gorham | Ogunquit | Waterville |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 31,938Highest |
18,300 |
1,379Lowest |
17,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±1.3 8% below ME |
39.4±2.9 12% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.1% ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.4%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
— | $978±$72Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,076 about the ME average |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Waterville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 17.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 33% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #37 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Gorham Public Schools | — | Waterville Public Schools |
| High school in town | Bangor High School | Gorham High School | — | Waterville Senior High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.3Highest |
12.9 |
— | 12.8Lowest |
| 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.