Compare towns
Gardiner vs Ogunquit vs Upton vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Ellsworth has the shortest commute (25 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 | Gardiner | Ogunquit | Upton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,088 |
1,379Lowest |
8,189 |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42±3.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 16.6%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.7%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Ogunquit 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 11% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Upton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $221,600±$19kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,113±$191Highest 21% below U.S. |
— | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195 28% below U.S. |
| Gardiner and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,742Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 44.6%±13.7 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Upton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 14% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 13.9%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #36 of 133 in ME | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 11/MSAD 11 | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Gardiner Area High School | — | Blackstone Valley | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | 11.2Lowest |
12.7Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.