Compare towns
Gray vs Ogunquit vs Wiscasset vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Gray has the most renters (17.6% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% 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 | Gray | Ogunquit | Wiscasset | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
3,874 |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
48.8±6.3 9% above ME |
41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hampden and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
28%±6.7 ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,118±$37kLowest 5% below ME |
$111,959±$13k 50% 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 | $363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$325,200±$26k 10% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,371±$89 20% above ME |
— | $1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME |
| Wiscasset and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,550Lowest 17% above ME |
$3,694 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.8% ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Wiscasset 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #108 of 133 in ME | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | Wiscasset Public Schools | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Wiscasset Middle/High School | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5 |
— | 7.2Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.