Compare towns
Benton vs Exeter vs Fairfield vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Benton has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Fairfield has the most renters (21.4% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Benton | Exeter | Fairfield | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770 |
1,093Lowest |
6,519Highest |
1,379 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
43.1±4 4% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±11.4 ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
15.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$166,700±$39k 44% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123Highest about the ME average |
$995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
— |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758 42% below ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,217 27% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
93.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 133 in ME | — | #47 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Lawrence High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.