Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Wiscasset
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%).
Wiscasset has the most affordable homes ($325k 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 | Wiscasset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
3,874Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
48.8±6.3Lowest 9% above ME |
| 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%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Wiscasset 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% |
28%±6.7Lowest 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% |
36.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,118±$37kLowest 5% below 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 |
$325,200±$26kLowest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
— | $1,518±$485Highest 33% above ME |
| Wiscasset and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,550 17% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
23.6%±15.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Wiscasset 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% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.8%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 |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.4%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Wiscasset are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #108 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Wiscasset Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Wiscasset Middle/High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 7.2 |
| 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.