What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).

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	Hampden	Mount Desert
People
Population	7,896Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±2.9Lowest 8% below ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
Kids under 18	25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	17.2%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	45.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Hampden 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	$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME	$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME
	Hampden and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,286±$317Lowest 13% above ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
	Mount Desert and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,694Highest 22% above ME	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.5%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85.7%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	23 minHighest 7% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hampden and Mount Desert 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	#6 of 133 in ME	—
School district	RSU 22	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	Hampden Academy	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.