Compare towns
Middlesex vs Mount Desert vs Westford
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Westford has the highest household income ($113k).
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 | Middlesex | Mount Desert | Westford |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,943 |
1,671Lowest |
2,290Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.4±3.9 14% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
44.1±8.6Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±3.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±4.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Middlesex and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 20.6%±3.7 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
9.5%±4.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $109,632±$13k 36% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$112,750±$12kHighest 40% above U.S. |
| Westford and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$40kLowest 13% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$424,500±$21k 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,333±$359Lowest 6% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$2,375±$1kHighest 68% above U.S. |
| Westford and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,483Highest 108% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$6,282 101% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
29.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mount Desert and Westford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
2.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 4% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Mount Desert Public Schools | Essex Westford Educational Community Unified Union SD #51 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
U.S. 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.