Compare towns
Old Orchard Beach vs Ogunquit vs Belfast vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Old Orchard Beach has the most renters (31.8% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Belfast has the most affordable homes ($341k median).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Ogunquit | Belfast | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,244Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,986 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 58±3.5 29% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
60.6±3.1 35% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 6.5%±2 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Eliot and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 33.5%±4.4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
39.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.9% ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$67,679±$9k 9% below ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$340,900±$34kLowest 15% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$182 9% above ME |
— | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,145 37% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 14.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.5% ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 11% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 13% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #67 of 133 in ME | — | #84 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 23 | — | RSU 71 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Old Orchard Beach High School | — | Belfast Area High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 7.6Lowest |
— | 11.3Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.