What stands out worked out from the figures below

Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k median).

Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).

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	Beals	Mount Desert
People
Population	498Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Beals and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Beals 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+	37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Beals and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
	Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,580Lowest 15% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	10.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 17% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Beals Public Schools	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.