Compare towns
Castine vs Ogunquit vs Liberty vs Jackson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Castine has the shortest commute (14 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Liberty has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Jackson has the most renters (21.4% rent).
Castine is a college town. 47.7% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Castine | Ogunquit | Liberty | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,362 |
1,379Highest |
969 |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.5±6.8 10% below ME |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 9.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.9%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 74.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$26k 52% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,146±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $603,500±$114k 103% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$104Highest about the ME average |
— | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$629±$12 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,250 40% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±56Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Castine and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 42% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±10.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Castine Public Schools | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — |
| High school 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.