Compare towns
Mount Vernon vs Ogunquit vs Penobscot vs Readfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Vernon has the most affordable homes ($264k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Penobscot has the most renters (15.8% 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 Vernon | Ogunquit | Penobscot | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,716 |
1,379 |
1,154Lowest |
2,651Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±6.2Lowest 5% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.7%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Vernon and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.5%±1.5 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.3% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.6%±1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Ogunquit and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $74,395±$6k about the ME average |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $264,200±$23kLowest 11% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
$326,400±$20k 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $893±$168Lowest 22% below ME |
— | $1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,832 7% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 26.9%±36.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 minLowest about the ME average |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 28.3%±11.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Vernon 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 | — | — | — | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | — | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.5 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | 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.