Compare towns
Benton vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Fairfield
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%).
Fairfield has the most renters (38.7% rent).
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 | Benton | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Fairfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,770Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
2,356 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6 4% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
34.2±7.7Lowest 24% 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 | 19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.8%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
10.9%±4.1Lowest 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+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
13.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±2.5Lowest 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 | $61,437±$5k 18% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$52,409±$23kLowest 30% 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 | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$139,600±$17kLowest 53% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,013±$142Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758Lowest 42% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,119 30% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1946Lowest 31 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 21% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
18 min 25% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #85 of 133 in ME | — | — | #47 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | — |
| 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.