Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Saco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 37.9).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Saco has the most kids (16.7% under 18).
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 | Brunswick | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest 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+ | 51.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% 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 | $363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
— | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Brunswick and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477 47% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| 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.