Compare towns
Lyman vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Alfred
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyman has the most homeowners (95%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Alfred has the youngest population (median age 44.9).
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 | Lyman | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Alfred |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,612Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
3,125 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±2 20% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.9±5.3Lowest 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 | 15.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±6.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Alfred and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±5.9Lowest 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+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
25.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±1.7Lowest 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 | $87,284±$14k 17% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$82,321±$18kLowest 10% 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 | $360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$342,300±$38kLowest 15% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$522 7% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,035±$432Lowest 9% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,543 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
82.2%±29.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Alfred and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #40 of 133 in ME | — | — | #74 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 57/MSAD 57 |
| High school in town | None 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.