Compare towns
Hope vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Mount Vernon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Mount Vernon has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
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 | Hope | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Mount Vernon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
1,716 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
47.1±6.2 5% 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 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.7%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.5%±1.5 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+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.6%±1Lowest 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 | $86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$74,395±$6kLowest 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. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,842 27% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,832Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
28.3%±11.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Vernon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| 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.