What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mount Desert	Dresden
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,645Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Lowest 23% above ME	55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME
	Dresden 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%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	17%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Dresden 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%	24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Dresden 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%	30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	3%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Dresden 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	$74,844±$22kLowest about the ME average
	Mount Desert and Dresden 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	$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,194±$502Lowest 5% above ME
	Mount Desert and Dresden 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	$2,500Lowest 18% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%	13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Dresden 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%	9.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	88.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	33 minHighest 35% above ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	RSU 02
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.