Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Ellsworth
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%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
8,657Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below 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% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| 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 ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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 |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.