What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).

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	Bristol	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,917Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	61±3.2Highest 36% above ME	54.9±8.2Lowest 23% above ME
	Bristol and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Desert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	52.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME	$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME
	Bristol and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
	Mount Desert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,668Lowest 12% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME	1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 28% below ME	18 minHighest 27% below ME
Work from home	25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bristol and Mount Desert 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	#16 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Bristol Public Schools	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.