What stands out worked out from the figures below

Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).

Mount Desert has the most people working from home (19.1%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Jefferson	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,647Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
Kids under 18	28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Jefferson 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	$85,078±$17kLowest 14% above ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$311,600±$35kLowest 5% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,120±$130Lowest about the ME average	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,587Lowest 15% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 23% above ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Jefferson 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	#45 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Jefferson Public Schools	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.