Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Saco vs Needham 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%).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Saco | Needham | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
20,819 |
32,459Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% 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% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% |
43.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11kLowest 14% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17kLowest 24% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,249±$385Lowest 12% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473 43% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #38 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Saco Public Schools | Needham | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | None yet | 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.