Compare towns
Burlington vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Lexington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Burlington has the most renters (25.8% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Lexington has the highest household income ($238k).
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 | Burlington | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 26,274 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
34,295Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.9±2.2Lowest 18% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
47.3±0.8 22% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±2.2 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
25.5%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 21.9%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 58.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
84.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.8%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Burlington and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $146,436±$14k 81% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$238,444±$18kHighest 195% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $740,600±$35k 123% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$1,203,100±$35kHighest 262% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,718±$368 92% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
— | $2,891±$233Highest 105% above U.S. |
| Lexington and Burlington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,165 98% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.1%±7.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Burlington and Lexington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 22.5%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
36.7%±3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Lexington 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 | #83 of 282 in MA | — | — | #2 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Burlington | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Lexington |
| High school in town | Burlington High | None in town | — | Lexington High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.3Lowest |
— | — | 11.4Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.