Compare towns
Blue Hill vs Mapleton 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 renters (20.3% rent).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Mapleton | Ogunquit | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,813Highest |
1,884 |
1,379Lowest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below 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%±7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Blue Hill 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest 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% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% 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 | $399,500±$82k 35% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$638 9% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
— | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,907 4% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 4.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 21%±9.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #29 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | Blue Hill Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.