Compare towns
Gardiner vs Ogunquit vs Brunswick vs Ellsworth
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 affordable homes ($222k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
Ellsworth has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Brunswick | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,088 |
1,379Lowest |
17,652Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42±3.6 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Ellsworth 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191 about the ME average |
— | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742Lowest 10% below ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 22% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 133 in ME | — | #30 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | — | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Lowest |
— | — | 12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.