Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Bar Harbor vs Appleton vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Wells has the most kids (18% 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 | Ogunquit | Bar Harbor | Appleton | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379 |
5,244 |
1,360Lowest |
11,713Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 63.5% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
| Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #2 of 133 in ME | — | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Appleton Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | — | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
| 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.