Compare towns
Blue Hill vs Kennebunk vs Ogunquit vs Mount Desert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Blue Hill has the most affordable homes ($400k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Blue Hill | Kennebunk | Ogunquit | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,813 |
11,820Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.2Lowest 8% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% 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 | 18.3%±7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Blue Hill and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
51.2% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,377±$17kLowest 8% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $399,500±$82kLowest 35% above ME |
$487,700±$21k 64% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$638Lowest 9% below ME |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
— | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,907Lowest 4% below ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 21%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #29 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Blue Hill Public Schools | RSU 21 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Kennebunk High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.6 |
— | — |
| 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.