What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Dedham has the most kids (23.8% 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	Dedham
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,656Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	46.5±2.2Lowest 4% above ME
	Mount Desert and Dedham 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%	23.8%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	18.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	49.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Dedham 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 24% above ME	$111,442±$18kHighest 49% above ME
	Dedham 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 76% above ME	$356,400±$33kLowest 20% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME	$1,422±$607Highest 25% above ME
	Dedham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME	$3,942Highest 30% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%	13%±85.3Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	9%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	95.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	9.3%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Dedham 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.