Compare towns
Caribou vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Madawaska
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Caribou has the most affordable homes ($134k median).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Madawaska has the shortest commute (12 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 | Caribou | Gray | Ogunquit | Madawaska |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,382 |
8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
3,853 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.3±1.7 15% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
52.6±4.1 17% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Madawaska and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
28.8%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Madawaska are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
22.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±0.9Lowest 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 | $53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$56,818±$9k 24% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$156,300±$15k 47% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $757±$143 34% below ME |
$1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $635±$148Lowest 44% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,680Lowest 45% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,923 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.3%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
60%±31.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Madawaska and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 15.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1960Lowest 17 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1968 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 15 min 40% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
12 minLowest 53% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.5%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±3.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #59 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #83 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 39 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Madawaska Public Schools |
| High school in town | Caribou High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Madawaska Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.2Highest |
12.5 |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| 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.