Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Saco
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%).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k 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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
| 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% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Saco 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest 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% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Saco 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 |
$92,241±$11kLowest 23% 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 |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Saco 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Saco Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.