Compare towns
Mechanic Falls vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Levant
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mechanic Falls has the most kids (24.1% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Levant has the most affordable homes ($269k 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 | Mechanic Falls | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Levant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,134Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
3,069 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39.8±4.7 11% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
39.7±2.2Lowest 11% 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 | 24.1%±7.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mechanic Falls and Levant are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.4%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.1%±4.9 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+ | 15.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
21.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±2.8 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 | $69,914±$12kLowest 6% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$86,071±$22k 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 | $270,900±$44k 9% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$268,500±$27kLowest 9% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,076±$208Lowest 6% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
— | $1,370±$120Highest 20% above ME |
| Levant and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,993 about the ME average |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,580Lowest 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.9%±20.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.7%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Levant and Mechanic Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.4% 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 |
1995Highest 18 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 5% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 27% above ME |
| Work from home | 7.9%±4.9 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 133 in ME | — | — | #124 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 16 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 87/MSAD 23 |
| 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.