Compare towns
Brooks vs Ogunquit vs Bangor vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
Jackson has the youngest population (median age 37.7).
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 | Brooks | Ogunquit | Bangor | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
1,379 |
31,938Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
41±1.3 8% below ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bangor and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Brooks and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
26 min 7% above ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #37 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Bangor High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 13.3 |
— |
| 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.