Compare towns
Bremen vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Bremen | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917Lowest |
1,671 |
1,379 |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2Lowest 16% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% 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 | 18.6%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wells and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21k 34% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28kLowest 43% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
— | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,215 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.4 |
| 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.