Compare towns
Castine vs Ogunquit vs Poland 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%).
Poland has the most kids (21.4% under 18).
Jackson has the most affordable homes ($232k median).
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 | Poland | Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,362 |
1,379 |
5,954Highest |
567Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 21.2±0.7Lowest 53% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
37.7±5.8 16% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 9.5%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Poland 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% |
17.8%±4.3 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% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 47.7%±7.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $113,750±$26k 52% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,557±$23k 14% above ME |
$75,167±$19kLowest 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 |
$283,600±$44k 4% below ME |
$231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,105±$104 about the ME average |
— | $1,198±$128Highest 5% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
| Poland and Castine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,250 40% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,774 9% below ME |
$2,651Lowest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 60.3%±56 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Castine 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% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% 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 |
1988 11 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 |
28 min 13% above ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±10.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Poland 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 | — | — | #81 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Castine Public Schools | — | RSU 16 | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Poland Regional H S | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.