Compare towns
Brunswick vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Westbrook
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 most affordable homes ($363k median).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Westbrook has the most kids (18.5% 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 | Westbrook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 17,652 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
20,775Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +12.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+16.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 37.9±2.2 15% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.4±1Lowest 17% 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 | 16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.5%±2.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Westbrook 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% |
18.1%±2.2Lowest 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% |
41.3%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% |
9%±2.5 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 |
$85,038±$7k 14% 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 |
$383,300±$19k 29% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
— | $1,392±$74 22% above ME |
| Brunswick and Westbrook are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,005 32% 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% |
46.1%±7.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Westbrook 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% |
8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.3% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
61.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 7% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 133 in ME | — | — | #115 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Westbrook Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | Westbrook High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.0 |
| 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.