Compare towns
New Gloucester vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Pownal
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
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%).
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 | Wells | Pownal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,766 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.1±5.5Lowest 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
47.2±8.4 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
23.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
49% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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 46% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$104,333±$14k 40% above ME |
| 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 20% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$436,800±$32k 47% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,150±$249 about the ME average |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME |
| Wells and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,417 13% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$5,212Highest 72% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pownal and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
89.4% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989 12 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
| Work from home | 14.2%±6.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
23.9%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #65 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 15/MSAD 15 | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.4 |
— |
| 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.