Compare towns
Belfast vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Waldo
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Belfast has the most renters (31.5% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waldo has the most kids (20.2% 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 | Belfast | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Waldo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,986Highest |
1,671 |
1,379 |
926Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 60.6±3.1 35% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 39.1%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.9% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
36.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1 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 | $67,679±$9kLowest 9% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below 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 | $340,900±$34k 15% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$208,000±$41kLowest 30% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $962±$92Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,150±$691 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,145 37% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.4%±14.4 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Belfast are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 68.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 12%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #84 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 71 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Waldo-Region 7 |
| High school in town | Belfast Area High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.