Compare towns
Ogunquit vs Wells vs York 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 affordable homes ($485k median).
York has the most kids (21.1% under 18).
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 | York | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,379Lowest |
11,713 |
13,986Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
49.5±5.2Lowest 10% above 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% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| York and Wells 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% |
27.9%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells 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% |
53.1% 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% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest 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±$56k 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
| York 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 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$636,400±$30k 115% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,473 47% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,658Highest 53% above 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% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| York 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% |
5.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | York Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Wells High School | York High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Highest |
9.6Lowest |
— |
| 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.