Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Buxton vs Exeter vs Mount Desert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
Exeter has the most renters (30.9% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Buxton | Exeter | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
8,512 |
16,151Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
45.5±3.9Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% 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 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.2%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 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+ | 63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$100,144±$21k 24% above U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$356,800±$21kLowest 7% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,613±$266 14% above U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
| Exeter and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,422Lowest 10% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,512 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
26.9%±26.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
80.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
34 minHighest 30% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #104 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 59 photos → | 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.