Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Exeter vs Wayne
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 the shortest commute (18 min average).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Exeter | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
16,151Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% 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% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter 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% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Exeter 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. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Exeter and Wayne 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. |
$456,600±$21k 37% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Exeter 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 | — | #22 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Exeter High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.