Compare towns
Cape Elizabeth vs Ogunquit vs Portland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cape Elizabeth has the most kids (26% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Portland has the most renters (53.1% rent).
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 | Cape Elizabeth | Ogunquit | Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,606 |
1,379Lowest |
68,854Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.4±3.3 6% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.8±0.8Lowest 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.4%±1.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.7%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.7%±0.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Portland and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
$114,259±$56k 53% above ME |
$79,540±$4kLowest 6% above ME |
| Cape Elizabeth and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $731,600±$53k 147% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$489,600±$13kLowest 65% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
— | $1,577±$35Lowest 38% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,637Highest 152% above ME |
$4,473Lowest 47% above ME |
$5,601 84% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.2%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±3.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Portland and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.2% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
46.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967 10 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 13% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
19 minLowest 21% below ME |
| Work from home | 31.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.8%±1.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Cape Elizabeth 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 | #1 of 133 in ME | — | #133 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools | — | Portland Public Schools · Baxter Academy for Technology and Science |
| High school in town | Cape Elizabeth High School | — | Portland High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Lowest |
— | 14.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.