Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Vinalhaven vs West Bath
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%).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
West Bath has the most kids (14.7% under 18).
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 | Vinalhaven | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379 |
1,216Lowest |
1,863Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8 40% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
54.2±5.6Lowest 21% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Ogunquit 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% |
11.2%±3.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Ogunquit 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% |
45.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| 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 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$422,800±$102kLowest 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and West Bath 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Vinalhaven 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
86.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | — | West Bath 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 | 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.