Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Unity vs Fairfield 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%).
Unity has the youngest population (median age 27.5).
Fairfield has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Unity | Fairfield | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
1,858 |
6,519Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
27.5±2.2Lowest 39% below ME |
43.1±4 4% below ME |
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% |
14%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
19.8%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Fairfield 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% |
11.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.7%±3.5 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% |
22.1% ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
30%±4.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$62,857±$6kLowest 16% below ME |
$64,101±$11k 14% below ME |
$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 |
$206,900±$28k 30% below ME |
$164,300±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $873±$73Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,001±$101 12% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,510 17% below ME |
$2,217Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
44.8%±13Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.9%±12.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Unity and Fairfield 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% |
17.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1975 2 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
21 min 14% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
12.1%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #47 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center | RSU 49/MSAD 49 · Maine Academy of Natural Sciences | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Ecology Learning Ctr | Lawrence High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.4Lowest |
13.3Highest |
— |
| 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.