Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Charleston 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%).
Charleston has the most affordable homes ($227k 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 | Charleston | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,379 |
1,117Lowest |
1,671Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
45.4±5.9Lowest 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% |
19.4%±5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Charleston 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% |
11.5%±2.1Lowest 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% |
12.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 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 | $114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$75,250±$20kLowest about the ME average |
$92,813±$9k 24% above 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 | $875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$226,500±$17kLowest 24% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $988±$870Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Charleston 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 |
$1,811Lowest 40% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
45.5%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Charleston 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
26 min 5% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±8.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.