What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).

Mount Desert has the most people working from home (19.1%).

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	Dresden	Mount Desert
People
Population	1,645Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME	54.9±8.2Lowest 23% above ME
	Dresden and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Dresden and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,500Lowest 18% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	88.2%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 35% above ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 02	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.