Compare towns
Kennebunk vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Arundel
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Kennebunk has the most renters (26.9% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Arundel has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Kennebunk | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Arundel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,221Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
4,418 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.3±7.2 21% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.9±6.4Lowest 9% below 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 | 18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±3.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
29.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±2.4 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 | $95,169±$21k 27% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$101,597±$17k 36% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$421,300±$62kLowest 42% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,466±$261 29% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
— | $1,607±$495Highest 41% above ME |
| Arundel and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,771Highest 57% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,763 24% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±13.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
34.2%±22.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Kennebunk and Arundel are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 8% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 36.6%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7%±3.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | #9 of 133 in ME | — | — | #7 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 21 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.