Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Windham 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 the most people working from home (43.3%).
Windham has the most kids (17.5% 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 | Windham | Southwest Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,379 |
594Lowest |
1,553 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest 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. |
44.2±7.4Lowest 14% 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% |
17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±5.1 U.S.: 22% |
| Windham 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% |
23.2%±8.1Lowest 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% |
48.1% 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%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert 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. |
$94,500±$12k 17% above U.S. |
$59,205±$21kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Windham 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. |
$353,900±$20kLowest 6% above U.S. |
$428,500±$35k 29% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
— | — | $959±$50Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,951Highest 91% 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% |
41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±18.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Southwest Harbor and Windham 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% |
9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.9% 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. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
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% |
20.5%±5.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | — | Southwest Harbor Public Schools |
| High school 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.