Compare towns
Jefferson vs Mount Desert vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Jefferson | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,647Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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+ | 27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Jefferson 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±$9k 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,120±$130 about the ME average |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,587Lowest 15% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.8%±25.1 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | #45 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Jefferson Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.