Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Hampton Beach vs Southwest Harbor
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Southwest Harbor has the most affordable homes ($429k 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 | Hampton Beach | Southwest Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
2,605Highest |
1,553 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4 55% above U.S. |
48.9±9.3Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southwest Harbor 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Hampton Beach 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% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3% 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% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.7 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. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$59,205±$21kLowest 27% 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. |
$508,900±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$428,500±$35kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
— | $1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$959±$50Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach 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 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$3,479Lowest 12% 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% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±18.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Southwest Harbor 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% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
25 min 4% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | — | Southwest Harbor 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 |
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.