What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bartlett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.8%).

Mount Desert has the most kids (14.1% under 18).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bartlett	Mount Desert
People
Population	3,281Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+14.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	57.4±4.7Highest 48% above U.S.	54.9±8.2Lowest 41% above U.S.
	Bartlett and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	7.5%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Mount Desert and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	36.1%±9.6Highest U.S.: 17.2%	29.1%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bartlett 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+	36.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	0.1%±0.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Mount Desert and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,754±$9kLowest 26% below U.S.	$92,813±$9kHighest 15% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$371,400±$78kLowest 12% above U.S.	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,676±$97Highest 19% above U.S.	$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,512Lowest 19% below U.S.	$3,512Highest 13% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.5%±37.9Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bartlett and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	79%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 16% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	13.5%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mount Desert and Bartlett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#74 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Bartlett School District	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.