Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Freeport vs Windham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($389k 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 | Freeport | Windham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
8,802 |
19,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Freeport 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%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Windham 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% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Freeport 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% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport 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±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
| Windham and Freeport 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 |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
$388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,232±$332Lowest 8% above ME |
| Freeport 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 |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,938 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and Mount Desert 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 05 | RSU 14 |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | Windham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2Highest |
12.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.