Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Upton vs Ayer 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%).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Ayer has the most renters (30.8% 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 | Upton | Ayer | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
8,189 |
8,645Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
39.2±2.8Lowest about the U.S. average |
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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.3%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Ayer 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
14.5%±2.8Lowest 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% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ayer 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±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$101,875±$15k 26% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
| Upton and Ogunquit 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. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$463,800±$29kLowest 39% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,415±$180Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
| Ayer and Mount Desert 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,057 62% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
45.1%±14.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton and Ayer 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.2%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. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
33 min 25% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±5.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #113 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Ayer Shirley School District | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Ayer Shirley Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 12 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.