Compare towns
Augusta vs Bangor 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
Augusta has the most kids (18.9% under 18).
Bangor has the most renters (52.8% rent).
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 | Augusta | Bangor | Mount Desert | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077 |
31,938Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4 5% below ME |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
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 | 18.9%±2.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Augusta and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6 ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest 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+ | 28.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$59,942±$7k 20% below 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 | $201,000±$18kLowest 32% below ME |
$219,600±$10k 26% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,076 about the ME average |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bangor and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
17.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1954Lowest 23 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | #37 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Cony | Bangor High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9Highest |
13.3Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.