Compare towns
Buxton vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Poland
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%).
Poland has the most kids (21.4% 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 | Poland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,512Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
5,954 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.9% 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 |
44.2±9.4Lowest 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 | 16.2%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Poland 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% |
17.8%±4.3Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
23.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$85,557±$23kLowest 14% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,800±$21k 20% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$283,600±$44kLowest 4% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
— | $1,198±$128Lowest 5% above ME |
| 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 |
$2,774Lowest 9% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
61.6%±30.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Poland and Mount Desert 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
16.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.9% 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 |
1988Highest 11 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 |
28 min 13% 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% |
21.9%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Poland 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 | #104 of 133 in ME | — | — | #81 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 16 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Poland Regional H S |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.