What stands out worked out from the figures below

Brooksville has the most affordable homes ($391k 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	Brooksville	Mount Desert
People
Population	853Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	61.4±6.3Highest 37% above ME	54.9±8.2Lowest 23% above ME
	Brooksville and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Desert and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	41.6%±10.6Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Brooksville 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+	52.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$56,316±$20kLowest 25% below ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$390,900±$113kLowest 32% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
	Mount Desert and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,307±$68Lowest 15% above ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
	Mount Desert and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,945Lowest 36% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.9%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Brooksville and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.1%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minHighest 15% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	16.7%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Brooksville are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Brooksville 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.