What stands out worked out from the figures below

Edgecomb has the most affordable homes ($348k 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	Edgecomb	Mount Desert
People
Population	1,251Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±8.8Lowest 8% below ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	16.9%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Edgecomb and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	24.5%±7.2Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8%±6.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Edgecomb and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$108,750±$18kHighest 46% above ME	$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME
	Edgecomb and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$348,400±$36kLowest 17% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,341±$89 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,577Highest 18% above ME	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	21.1%±43.8Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.7%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest 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	22 minHighest 10% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	12.3%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Edgecomb Public Schools	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.