Compare towns
Hallowell vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hallowell has the most affordable homes ($295k median).
Mount Desert has the most kids (14.1% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Hallowell | Mount Desert | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,592Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±7.9Lowest 12% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above 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 | 13.2%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±7.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Hallowell and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,398±$10kLowest 8% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% 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 | $295,300±$45kLowest about the ME average |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$175Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867 27% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hallowell and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978Highest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 43% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 02 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.