What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).

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	Hallowell	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,592Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	50.3±7.9Lowest 12% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.2%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Desert and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Hallowell 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+	52.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hallowell 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	$68,398±$10kLowest 8% below ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$295,300±$45kLowest about the ME average	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$890±$175Lowest 22% below ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,867Highest 27% above ME	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.1%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Hallowell and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	14 minLowest 43% below ME	18 minHighest 27% below ME
Work from home	19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hallowell and Mount Desert 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.