What stands out worked out from the figures below

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).

Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).

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	Manchester	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,424Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Manchester and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,031±$16kLowest 23% above ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,486Lowest 15% above ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	85%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1977Highest same as ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minHighest 19% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	RSU 38	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.