Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Williston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Williston has the most kids (20.5% 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 | Bar Harbor | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 37% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.