Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Eliot vs Ogunquit vs West Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most affordable homes ($293k median).
Eliot has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
West Gardiner has the youngest population (median age 43.5).
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 | Bowdoin | Eliot | Ogunquit | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
7,146Highest |
1,379Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and West Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
8.1%±5.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Gardiner and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— | $1,087±$150Lowest 5% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Gardiner and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | — | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.