Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Upton vs Orono 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 most kids (23.2% under 18).
Orono has the youngest population (median age 21.8).
Mount Desert has the oldest housing (typical home built 1969).
Orono is a college town. 56.1% 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 | Upton | Orono | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
8,189 |
11,902Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.9% 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. |
21.8±0.3Lowest 44% below 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% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
6.8%±1.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
11.4%±1.9Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
66.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% 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% |
56.1%±3.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$61,528±$5kLowest 24% below U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 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. |
$272,600±$40kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,255±$112 11% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Orono 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. |
$4,830 55% 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%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
58.1%±10.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Orono and Upton 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% |
24.9%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% |
46.6%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. |
15 minLowest 42% below U.S. |
18 min 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.3%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #46 of 282 in MA | #26 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 26 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Blackstone Valley | Orono High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.2Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.