Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Appleton 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
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
West Bath has the most renters (17.7% 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 | Ogunquit | Appleton | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379 |
1,360Lowest |
1,863Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and West Bath 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest 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% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Bath 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Appleton Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.