Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Dedham vs Wayne vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($129k).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Mount Desert | Dedham | Wayne | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
25,237Highest |
1,101Lowest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
44.6±1.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±1.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9 U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.9%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
55% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$128,955±$10kHighest 60% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$661,800±$16kHighest 99% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$2,042±$182Highest 45% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,106±$351 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$7,918Highest 154% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,279 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±10Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Dedham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
73.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
29 min 11% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
20%±2.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #119 of 282 in MA | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Dedham | RSU 38 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Dedham High | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.4Highest |
— | 8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.