Compare towns
Benton vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Canaan
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).
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Canaan has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Gray | Ogunquit | Canaan |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770 |
8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
2,063 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6Lowest 4% below ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.2±6.1 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Canaan and Benton 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.8%±4.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$57,781±$13kLowest 23% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$159,900±$28kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $922±$252Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758 42% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,530Lowest 50% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.3%±27.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 38% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.1%±2.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 54/MSAD 54 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| 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.