Compare towns
Gardiner vs Hampden vs Ogunquit vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gardiner has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Hampden has the shortest commute (23 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Oakland has the youngest population (median age 40.2).
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 | Gardiner | Hampden | Ogunquit | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,088 |
7,896Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,309 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8% ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Hampden and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,782±$10kLowest 4% below ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$77,813±$16k 4% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $221,600±$19kLowest 25% below ME |
$301,300±$38k about the ME average |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$236,000±$23k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191 about the ME average |
$1,286±$317Highest 13% above ME |
— | $939±$74Lowest 18% below ME |
| Hampden and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742 10% below ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 min 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | RSU 22 | — | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | Hampden Academy | — | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
14.8Highest |
— | 14.2 |
| 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.