Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Northeast Harbor vs Ogunquit vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Northeast Harbor has the shortest commute (11 min average).
Ogunquit has the most expensive homes ($876k median).
West Bath has the most affordable homes ($423k 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 | Mount Desert | Northeast Harbor | Ogunquit | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
419Lowest |
1,379 |
1,863Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
— | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
58±4.5 29% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
54.2±5.6Lowest 21% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Northeast Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
2.6%±8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| West Bath and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.8% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
8.8%±14Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Northeast Harbor and West Bath 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 24% above ME |
$92,415±$51kLowest 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Ogunquit and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$729,700±$178k 146% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$422,800±$102kLowest 43% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Northeast Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,356±$59Highest 19% above ME |
— | $1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
| Northeast Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$2,889Lowest 5% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
23.2%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
63.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
11 minLowest 57% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
39.7%±25.5 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Northeast Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school 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.