Compare towns
Sanford vs Ogunquit vs Gray vs Augusta
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sanford has grown the fastest since 2010 (+125.2%).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Augusta has the shortest commute (19 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 | Sanford | Ogunquit | Gray | Augusta |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 22,247Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,429 |
19,077 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +125.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8% ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.1±2.8Lowest 6% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
18.9%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sanford and Gray are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.8%±2.3 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 24.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
28.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±0.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Gray and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,524±$7k about the ME average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$47,979±$3kLowest 36% 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 | $280,200±$10k 6% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,152±$72 about the ME average |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,708 22% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±7.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24Highest ME: 48.4% |
49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Gray and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 14% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 9.8%±2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #100 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | #119 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Sanford Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy |
| High school in town | Sanford High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | Cony |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.7 |
— | 12.5Lowest |
17.9Highest |
| 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.