Compare towns
Eliot vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs South Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the most renters (20.2% rent).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
South Eliot has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Eliot | Needham | Ogunquit | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
4,203 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 31% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
55.5±8 43% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.2%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
32.8%±6.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10k 26% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$99,299±$9kLowest 23% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 50% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$475,600±$52kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Lowest 38% above U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $2,155±$292 53% above U.S. |
| Needham and South Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 46% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,442Lowest 42% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
64.3%±29.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| South Eliot and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
79.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 15% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Needham | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | — | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.