Compare towns
Belfast vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Searsport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most renters (31.5% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
Searsport has the most affordable homes ($224k 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 | Belfast | Ogunquit | Wells | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,986 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
2,655 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1 35% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
42.9±7.2Lowest 4% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
23.7%±7.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$64,303±$19kLowest 14% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$224,400±$78kLowest 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,105±$87 about the ME average |
| Wells and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 37% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,225Lowest 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Searsport and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
14.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
69.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minLowest 13% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 71 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | — | Wells High School | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | 11.4Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.