Compare towns
Hermon vs Mount Desert vs Vinalhaven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hermon has grown the fastest since 2010 (+19.3%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 | Hermon | Mount Desert | Vinalhaven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,727Highest |
1,671 |
1,216Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +19.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±4.7Lowest 8% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
| Vinalhaven and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.6%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Hermon and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Hermon 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 | $96,629±$22kHighest 29% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
| Hermon and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $333,600±$32kLowest 12% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,406±$202Highest 23% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
| Hermon and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,761Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,598Highest 19% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 28.2%±19.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Vinalhaven and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 75.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 2000Highest 23 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 8% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 8.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Vinalhaven 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 | #54 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Hermon Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Hermon High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.6 |
— | — |
| 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.