Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Ogunquit vs Waldo vs Searsport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waldo has the youngest population (median age 37.5).
Searsport has the most renters (30.6% rent).
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 | Mars Hill | Ogunquit | Waldo | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,398 |
1,379 |
926Lowest |
2,655Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3% ME: +2.6% |
+1.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 3% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
37.5±9.6Lowest 16% below ME |
42.9±7.2 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±5.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mars Hill and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
12.2%±1.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23.7%±7.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
36.4% ME: 36.2% |
23.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.8%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±3.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Mars Hill and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 13% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,458±$21k 4% below ME |
$64,303±$19kLowest 14% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Waldo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23kLowest 45% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$208,000±$41k 30% below ME |
$224,400±$78k 24% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 57% below ME |
— | $1,150±$691Highest about the ME average |
$1,105±$87 about the ME average |
| Waldo and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843 39% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,623Lowest 47% below ME |
$2,225 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
74.1%±36.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
48.2%±25.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Waldo and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
14.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
69.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 14% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±9.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | — | Waldo-Region 7 | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | — | None in town | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
— | — | 8.2Highest |
| 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.