Compare towns
Newcastle vs Ogunquit vs Gray vs Manchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newcastle has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).
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 | Newcastle | Ogunquit | Gray | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,913 |
1,379Lowest |
8,429Highest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.4±7 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
46.9±4.6 5% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.1% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $89,868±$33kLowest 20% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$92,031±$16k 23% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,363±$81 20% above ME |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME |
| Gray and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,256 40% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$3,486Lowest 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.8%±16.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
4.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 17 minLowest 30% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.2%±4.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.5 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.