Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Buxton vs Carmel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Carmel has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Ogunquit | Buxton | Carmel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
8,512Highest |
2,941 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
45.5±3.9Lowest about the ME average |
46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Carmel and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
16.5%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$82,188±$22kLowest 10% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$256,800±$37kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,276±$187Lowest 12% above ME |
| Buxton and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
$2,662Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1 ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #104 of 133 in ME | #77 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.