Compare towns
Hampton vs Mount Desert vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hampton has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k 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.
| Measure | Hampton | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,101Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 51.2±1.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Hampton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne 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+ | 44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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 | $97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,512 13% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 48.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Hampton 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 | #31 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.