Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Buxton vs Mount Desert
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%).
Buxton has the most affordable homes ($357k median).
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 | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
8,512Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
45.5±3.9Lowest about the ME average |
54.9±8.2 23% 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 | 5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.2%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Buxton and Mount Desert 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% |
19.2%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 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+ | 63.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$100,144±$21k 34% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Buxton 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 |
$356,800±$21kLowest 20% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,613±$266Highest 42% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
| Buxton and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,422Lowest 13% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
26.9%±26.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Buxton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.2% ME: 10.7% |
2.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
34 minHighest 39% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.8%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #104 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.

