Compare towns
Bristol vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Harpswell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Bristol | Gray | Ogunquit | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,917 |
8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
5,046 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2 36% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
62±1.5 38% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1 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 | $100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$95,236±$8kLowest 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$363,700±$20kLowest 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$609,700±$60k 106% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $1,348±$53 18% above ME |
| Gray and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,141 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #16 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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 Our Story | 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.