What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most people working from home (19.1%).

Cranberry Isles has the most kids (19.4% under 18).

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	Cranberry Isles
People
Population	1,671Highest	196Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5% ME: +2.6%	—
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	48±11.9Lowest 7% above ME
	Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	19.4%±9.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Cranberry Isles 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 ME: 22.4%	19.9%±7.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	51.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	6.6%±3.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Cranberry Isles and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME	$65,000±$37kLowest 13% below ME
	Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME	$439,100±$51kLowest 48% above ME
	Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,000±$413Lowest 12% below ME
	Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Highest 16% above ME	$3,273Lowest 8% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	71.4%±79Highest ME: 48.4%
	Cranberry Isles and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%	4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	81%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	20 minHighest 17% below ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	6.5%±6Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Cranberry Isles Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.