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 (24.4% rent).
Pownal has the oldest housing (typical home built 1971).
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 |
30,964Highest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 3% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.6±2.7 15% above U.S. |
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% |
16.2%±2.1 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% |
18.6%±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% |
38.7% 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% |
4.3%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,797±$12k 35% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$110,490±$9k 37% above U.S. |
$104,333±$14kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Salem 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. |
$473,300±$16k 42% above U.S. |
$436,800±$32k 31% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 19% below U.S. |
— | $1,625±$146Highest 15% above U.S. |
$981±$636Lowest 31% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,992Highest 124% 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% |
44.5%±9.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
78.9%±22.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.6%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. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1971Lowest 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 10% 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% |
16.3%±2.9 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 | — | #38 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — | Salem School District | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Salem High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.2 |
— |
| 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.