What stands out worked out from the figures below

Long Island has the most kids (18.1% under 18).

Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).

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	Long Island	Mount Desert
People
Population	249Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	—	+4.5% ME: +2.6%
Median age	47.5±10.6Lowest 6% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Long Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.1%±11.5Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Long Island and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Long Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	50.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Long Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$91,250±$29kLowest 22% above ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Long Island are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$551,100±$122kHighest 86% above ME	$522,100±$66kLowest 76% above ME
	Long Island and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,194±$226Highest 93% above ME	$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,357Lowest 11% above ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	88.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Long Island and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	87.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest 8% above ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	22.8%±13Highest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Long Island and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Long Island 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.