Compare towns
Wells vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Topsham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Topsham has the most affordable homes ($361k median).
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 | Wells | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest 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+ | 43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% 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 | $485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$360,800±$20kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
— | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Wells and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 12% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | — | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 12.2Highest |
| 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.