Compare towns
Carmel vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Windsor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Windsor has the most kids (23.2% 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 | Carmel | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Windsor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,941Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
2,690 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46.4±4.5 4% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.5±8Lowest 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 | 18.6%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.2%±6.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Windsor and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.5%±5 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.3%±4.4Lowest 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+ | 17.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
21% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,188±$22k 10% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$63,178±$5kLowest 15% below 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 | $256,800±$37k 13% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$228,800±$22kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,276±$187 12% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,265±$400Lowest 11% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Carmel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,662 12% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,160Lowest 29% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±38.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
46.2%±31.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Carmel and Windsor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1996Highest 19 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
36 minHighest 45% above ME |
| Work from home | 6.5%±4.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #77 of 133 in ME | — | — | #44 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 87/MSAD 23 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 12 |
| 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.