Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Salem
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%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. 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 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Salem 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% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5kLowest 5% above 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±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% 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% |
54.9%±4.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Salem 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978Highest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Salem |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.