Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Williston vs Southwest Harbor
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Williston has the most kids (20.5% under 18).
Southwest Harbor has the most renters (44.3% 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 | Williston | Southwest Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,553 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.9±9.3 26% above U.S. |
| 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and Southwest Harbor 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±2.7 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% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest 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% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$59,205±$21kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Williston 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$428,500±$35kLowest 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$959±$50Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,479Lowest 12% 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% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±18.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Southwest Harbor and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Southwest Harbor Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.