Compare towns
Paris vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Houlton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Paris has the most renters (39.8% rent).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Houlton has the shortest commute (10 min average).
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 | Paris | Gray | Ogunquit | Houlton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,317 |
8,429Highest |
1,379Lowest |
6,056 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.1% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.2±5.6 8% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
45.4±2.8 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.8%±5.9 ME: 18.1% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Houlton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.6%±5.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.8% ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
24.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±3.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $75,137±$20k about the ME average |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$61,058±$14kLowest 18% below 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 | $240,400±$57k 19% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$137,000±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
— | $785±$66Lowest 31% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,649 13% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,707Lowest 44% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.3%±13.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
54.7%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Paris and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
18.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 60.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
63.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1957Lowest 20 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
10 minLowest 58% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.4%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #114 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #50 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 17/MSAD 17 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 29/MSAD 29 · Houlton-Region 2 |
| High school in town | None in town | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | Houlton High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.5Lowest |
— | 16.8Highest |
| 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.