Compare towns
Augusta vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Manchester
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 renters (46.2% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Manchester has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 19,077Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
2,424 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.5±2.4Lowest 5% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
46.9±4.6 5% 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%±2.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Manchester and Augusta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.1 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
47.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.6%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.6Lowest 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 | $47,979±$3kLowest 36% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$92,031±$16k 23% 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 |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$299,600±$40k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $919±$79Lowest 19% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $993±$116 13% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,465Lowest 19% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,486 15% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 49.2%±8.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.9%±18.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Augusta and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 53.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1965Lowest 12 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 15.1%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #119 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | Augusta Public Schools · Maine Arts Academy | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Cony | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 17.9 |
— | — | — |
| 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.