Compare towns
Cushing vs Mount Desert vs Owls Head
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cushing has the most kids (17.1% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Owls Head has the shortest commute (16 min average).
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.
| Measure | Cushing | Mount Desert | Owls Head |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,460Lowest |
1,671Highest |
1,482 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
52.6±6.6 17% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Owls Head 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%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.6%±4.3Lowest 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%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Owls Head 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+ | 38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.6%±1.4Lowest 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 |
$87,325±$7k 17% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Owls Head 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 |
$413,300±$43k 39% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,191±$386Lowest 5% 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 |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$2,981Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
29.9%±51.6Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 5% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
16 minLowest 34% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.3%±4.1Lowest 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 | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.