Compare towns
Benton vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Fairfield
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Fairfield has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Benton | Gray | Ogunquit | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770 |
8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,519 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%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 |
43.1±4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 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±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% 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 |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $1,001±$101Lowest 12% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,217 27% 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% |
42.9%±12.7 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% |
10.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1975Lowest 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 21% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Lawrence High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
— | 13.3Highest |
| 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.