Compare towns
Exeter vs Mount Desert vs Lee
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Lee has the most kids (21.8% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Mount Desert | Lee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,093 |
1,671Highest |
925Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.6±7.7 17% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
51.5±11.5Lowest 15% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 15% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Lee 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 | $84,408±$12k 13% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$174,500±$25k 41% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $995±$386Lowest 13% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Mount Desert and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,602 47% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.3%±73.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.1% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 35 minHighest 43% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
35 min 41% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 30/MSAD 30 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.