Compare towns
Chester vs Ogunquit vs Abbot vs Columbia
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Abbot has the most renters (25.7% rent).
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
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 | Chester | Ogunquit | Abbot | Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 598 |
1,379Highest |
584 |
529Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 44±10 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
48.6±3.5 8% above ME |
41.9±6.4Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 23.4%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.6%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
13.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
21.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Columbia and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,500±$8k 14% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$58,542±$24k 22% below ME |
$56,667±$15kLowest 24% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$171,200±$36k 42% below ME |
$158,700±$19kLowest 46% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $833±$51Lowest 27% below ME |
— | $1,111±$73Highest about the ME average |
$894±$162 22% below ME |
| Abbot and Columbia are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,378 55% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,393 54% below ME |
$1,226Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±37.8 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
6.7%±41.8 ME: 48.4% |
61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 34% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
31 min 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 9.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
23.1%±17.1 ME: 15.9% |
9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Abbot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| 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.