Compare towns
Meredith vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Meredith | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 6,758Highest |
1,671 |
1,379 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Lowest 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3 43% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
— | $983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,512 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Wayne 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 | #62 of 120 in NH | — | — | — |
| School district | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.1 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.