Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Wells vs Northport 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%).
Wells has the most kids (18% under 18).
Northport has the most affordable homes ($343k 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 | Wells | Northport | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
1,621 |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
56.6±3.8 26% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Northport 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% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Wells 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% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Northport 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% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.4% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Wells 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±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$73,523±$8kLowest 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 |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$343,400±$36kLowest 16% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
| Wells and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,215 6% above ME |
$2,721Lowest 10% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Northport and Wells 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
87.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Northport Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.