Compare towns
Dorset vs Gray vs Norwich vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Dorset has the oldest housing (typical home built 1972).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
Norwich has the highest household income ($140k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Dorset | Gray | Norwich | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,092 |
8,429Highest |
3,640 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±7.5 18% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5 12% above U.S. |
40.8±3.2Lowest 5% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24%±5.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4 U.S.: 22% |
24%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±4.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4 U.S.: 17.2% |
16%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.1% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.8%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Norwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $111,250±$40k 38% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8kLowest 18% above U.S. |
$140,313±$12kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Norwich and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $569,200±$57k 71% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$637,500±$76k 92% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,420±$296 about the U.S. average |
$1,371±$89Lowest about the U.S. average |
$1,460±$322Highest 3% above U.S. |
— |
| Norwich and Dorset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,489 140% above U.S. |
$3,683Lowest 18% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 74.4%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.7%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dorset and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
71.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972Lowest 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
19 minLowest 28% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 29.3%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Dorset 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 | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #1 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Taconic and Green Regional School District #63 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Norwich School District | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.