What stands out worked out from the figures below

Damariscotta has the most kids (19.4% under 18).

Mount Desert has the highest household income ($93k).

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	Damariscotta	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,192Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.3±8.6Lowest 10% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Damariscotta and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31.2%±4.3Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Damariscotta 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+	41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$363,500±$42kLowest 23% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,806Highest 25% above ME	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Damariscotta and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	11.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	70%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 6% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Damariscotta are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Great Salt Bay CSD	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.