Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Palermo vs Wayne
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%).
Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k 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 | Palermo | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,379 |
1,473 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Wayne 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% |
18.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Palermo 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% |
21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$89,095±$15kLowest 19% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Wayne 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 |
$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,235±$1k 8% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,506Lowest 17% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Palermo 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% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
91.2% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% 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 |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
31 minHighest 24% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.8%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 12 | RSU 38 |
| 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.