Compare towns
Houlton vs Ogunquit vs Gardiner
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Houlton has the shortest commute (10 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gardiner has the youngest population (median age 42).
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 | Houlton | Ogunquit | Gardiner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,056 |
1,379Lowest |
6,088Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±2.8 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
42±3.6Lowest 6% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Houlton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.1%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,058±$14kLowest 18% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,782±$10k 4% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $137,000±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$221,600±$19k 25% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $785±$66Lowest 31% below ME |
— | $1,113±$191Highest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,707Lowest 44% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,742 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 54.7%±12.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.6%±13.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Houlton and Gardiner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 63.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1957 20 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1944Lowest 33 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 10 minLowest 58% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.9%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #50 of 133 in ME | — | #36 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 29/MSAD 29 · Houlton-Region 2 | — | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | Houlton High School | — | Gardiner Area High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 16.8Highest |
— | 11.8Lowest |
| 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.