Compare towns
Poland vs Gray vs Ogunquit vs Buxton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Poland has the most affordable homes ($284k median).
Gray has the youngest population (median age 43.4).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
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 | Poland | Gray | Ogunquit | Buxton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,954 |
8,429 |
1,379Lowest |
8,512Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +9.9% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.2±9.4 about the ME average |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Poland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $85,557±$23kLowest 14% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% 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 | $283,600±$44kLowest 4% below ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,198±$128Lowest 5% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
— | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
| Buxton and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,422 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.9% ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
29 min 16% above ME |
26 minLowest 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Poland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #81 of 133 in ME | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #104 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 |
| High school in town | Poland Regional H S | Gray-New Gloucester High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
12.5Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.