Compare towns
Hanover vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Swans Island
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 most renters (15.2% rent).
Ogunquit has the most people working from home (43.3%).
Swans Island has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Hanover | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Swans Island |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 276Lowest |
1,671Highest |
1,379 |
438 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 53.3±10.3 19% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
52.8±9.5Lowest 18% 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 | 15.9%±9.8 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Swans Island and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.7%±12.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
28.1%±10.9 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+ | 44.7% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.7%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hanover and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $55,417±$52kLowest 26% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$86,250±$13k 15% 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 | $334,500±$36k 13% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$316,700±$75kLowest 7% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
— | $2,125±$556Highest 87% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,492 18% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,420Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Swans Island and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 18.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
1.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 9% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
12 minLowest 51% below ME |
| Work from home | 25%±19.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Hanover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | MSAD 76 |
| High school 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.