Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Alstead
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Alstead has the most affordable homes ($272k 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 | Ogunquit | Alstead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,551 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Lowest 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
56±3.3 44% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Mount Desert and Alstead are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
27.8%±4.2Lowest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
28.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$64,526±$11kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| 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 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$271,600±$37kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
— | — |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,322Highest 71% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
72.1%±22.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Alstead 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
76%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
32 minHighest 20% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.1%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Fall Mountain Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.