Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Ogunquit vs Alfred 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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Alfred has the most renters (17.9% rent).
West Gardiner has the shortest commute (24 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Alfred | West Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,379Lowest |
3,125 |
3,696Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.9±5.3 about the ME average |
43.5±2.8Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest 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±$13k 22% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% above ME |
$96,172±$30k 29% above ME |
| Ogunquit and West Gardiner 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$342,300±$38k 15% above ME |
$305,100±$42k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | — | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,087±$150Highest 5% below ME |
| West Gardiner and Alfred are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
$2,282Lowest 25% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
57.1%±9.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and West Gardiner 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
13.8%±7.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #28 of 133 in ME | — | #74 of 133 in ME | #90 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | 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.