Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Meredith vs West Bath
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%).
Meredith has the most renters (24.2% rent).
West Bath has the most affordable homes ($423k 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 | Meredith | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
6,758Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
55.5±3.7 43% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Lowest 39% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Meredith 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%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| West Bath and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Meredith 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% |
45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$87,019±$19kLowest 8% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| 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 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$480,100±$48k 44% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
— | $1,149±$304 19% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,006Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% 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% |
48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Meredith 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.7%±4.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #62 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Inter-Lakes High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
— |
| 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.