Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Southwest Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Needham has the most kids (27.5% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Southwest Harbor has the most renters (44.3% 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 | Mount Desert | Needham | Ogunquit | Southwest Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,553 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
48.9±9.3 26% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±2.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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+ | 64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$59,205±$21kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$428,500±$35kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $959±$50Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,479Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±18.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Needham | — | Southwest Harbor Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— | — |
| 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.