Compare towns
Belgrade vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Oakland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Oakland has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
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 | Belgrade | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,351 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
6,309Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.3±14.6 6% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.2±6.9Lowest 10% below 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 | 22.6%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.8%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Oakland and Belgrade are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.2%±3.4Lowest 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+ | 49.1% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
24.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Belgrade and Oakland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,338±$13k 18% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$77,813±$16kLowest 4% 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 | $312,200±$44k 5% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$236,000±$23kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $857±$108Lowest 25% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $939±$74 18% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,859 6% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,439Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 17.2%±35.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.7%±14.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Oakland and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 minHighest 8% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.4%±8.6 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #71 of 133 in ME | — | — | #23 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 18 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 18 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Messalonskee High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.2 |
| 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.