Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Ogunquit vs Salem vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Gloucester has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | New Gloucester | Ogunquit | Salem | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,766 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5 3% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.2±8.4 21% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
24.2%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
23.5%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above U.S. |
$104,333±$14k 29% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $357,100±$29kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
$436,800±$32k 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% above U.S. |
$5,212 67% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Pownal and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
23.9%±5.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #65 of 133 in ME | — | #248 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — | Salem | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Salem High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.