Compare towns
New Sharon vs Ogunquit vs Mercer
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Sharon has the most affordable homes ($171k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Mercer has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
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 Sharon | Ogunquit | Mercer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,550Highest |
1,379 |
718Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.9±8.9 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 20%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.1%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mercer and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.9%±5.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and New Sharon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $63,889±$21kLowest 15% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,107±$2k 5% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $171,200±$21kLowest 42% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$238,500±$32k 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $961±$55Lowest 16% below ME |
— | $1,422±$249Highest 25% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,889Lowest 38% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,970 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61%±38Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
18.5%±74 ME: 48.4% |
| New Sharon and Mercer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.7%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.5%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 09 | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.