What stands out worked out from the figures below

Cushing has the most affordable homes ($410k 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	Cushing	Mount Desert
People
Population	1,460Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Cushing and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$409,800±$44kLowest 38% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME	$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME
	Cushing and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,944Highest 30% above ME	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.7%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.7%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 5% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	18.5%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 13	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.