Compare towns
Fairfield vs Ogunquit vs Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Machias has the most renters (50.3% 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 | Fairfield | Ogunquit | Machias |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,356Highest |
1,379Lowest |
2,020 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 34.2±7.7Lowest 24% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.8±9.6 9% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 10.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.2%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
16% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
12.7%±3.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $52,409±$23k 30% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$34,375±$16kLowest 54% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$141,300±$17k 52% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,013±$142Highest 11% below ME |
— | $692±$276Lowest 39% below ME |
| Fairfield and Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,119 30% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,885Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.9%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Machias and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
25.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 61.3% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
49.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 25% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
16 minLowest 33% below ME |
| Work from home | 7.8%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.7%±9.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #47 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | — | Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | Machias Memorial High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 10.4 |
| 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.