Compare towns
Columbia vs Ogunquit vs Chester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Columbia has the most affordable homes ($159k median).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
Chester has the most renters (22.9% 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 | Columbia | Ogunquit | Chester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 529Lowest |
1,379Highest |
598 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±6.4Lowest 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44±10 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.4%±5.2 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+ | 25.9%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.6%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 9.1%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1%±2.1Lowest 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 | $56,667±$15kLowest 24% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$64,500±$8k 14% 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 | $158,700±$19kLowest 46% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$172,500±$59k 42% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $894±$162Highest 22% below ME |
— | $833±$51Lowest 27% below ME |
| Columbia and Chester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,226Lowest 60% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,378 55% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±37.8 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 | 13.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 min 27% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
33 minHighest 34% above ME |
| Work from home | 9%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| 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.