Compare towns
Appleton vs Hope vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Appleton | Hope | Mount Desert | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,748Highest |
1,671 |
1,379 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Mount Desert and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$3,842 27% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Hope Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| 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.