Compare towns
Buxton vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs New Gloucester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Buxton has the most renters (19.7% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
New Gloucester has the most kids (24.2% 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 | Buxton | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | New Gloucester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
5,766 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.5±3.9 about the ME average |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.1±5.5Lowest 10% 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 | 16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
24.2%±5.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| New Gloucester and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.4%±4.2Lowest 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+ | 30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$108,797±$12k 46% above ME |
| Ogunquit and New Gloucester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$357,100±$29k 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
— | $1,150±$249Lowest about the ME average |
| Buxton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,422 13% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,417Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.7%±12 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
4.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% 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 |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 39% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #104 of 133 in ME | — | — | #65 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 |
| 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.