What stands out worked out from the figures below

Epsom has the most affordable homes ($338k median).

Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).

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	Epsom	Mount Desert
People
Population	4,939Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.1±3.4Lowest 21% above U.S.	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Epsom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Epsom and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±2.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Epsom 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	$97,941±$13kHighest 21% above U.S.	$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S.
	Epsom and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$338,400±$19kLowest about the U.S. average	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,212±$437Lowest 14% below U.S.	$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S.
	Mount Desert and Epsom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,210Highest 99% above U.S.	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	71.2%±19.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Epsom and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	31 minHighest 17% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	13.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mount Desert and Epsom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#69 of 120 in NH	—
School district	Epsom School District	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.