What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).

Bolton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.1%).

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	Mount Desert	Bolton
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,163Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.	36.3±1.7Lowest 7% below U.S.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.9%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bolton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	6.7%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	58.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.7%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Mount Desert and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S.	$111,125±$17kHighest 38% above U.S.
	Bolton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.	$311,600±$42kLowest 6% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S.	$1,299±$273Lowest 8% below U.S.
	Mount Desert and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.	$4,826Highest 55% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	28%±30.8Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mount Desert and Bolton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	81.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bolton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Mount Mansfield Unified Union School District #401
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

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.