What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k 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	Brooks	Mount Desert
People
Population	1,208Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.9±6.6Lowest about the ME average	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Brooks and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Brooks 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	$59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,116±$112Lowest about the ME average	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,096Lowest 31% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	18%±17.3Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	19.1%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 03/MSAD 03	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.