Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Northport vs Ogunquit vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Northport has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Topsham has the most kids (19.9% under 18).
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 | Northport | Ogunquit | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,621 |
1,379Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
56.6±3.8 26% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Northport 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% |
13.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
39.2%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Northport 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% |
52.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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 24% above ME |
$73,523±$8kLowest about the ME average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% 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 | $522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$343,400±$36kLowest 16% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME |
— | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham 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 |
$2,721Lowest 10% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Northport and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Northport Public Schools | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.