What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).

Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).

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	Hallowell
People
Population	1,671Lowest	2,592Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	50.3±7.9Lowest 12% above ME
	Mount Desert and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%	13.2%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Desert and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Hallowell 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 ME: 36.2%	52.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	6.4%±6.2Highest ME: 5.8%
	Hallowell 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±$9kHighest 24% above ME	$68,398±$10kLowest 8% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME	$295,300±$45kLowest about the ME average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$890±$175Lowest 22% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME	$3,867Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	37.1%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4%
	Hallowell 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%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.8%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Highest 8 yrs older than ME	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minHighest 27% below ME	14 minLowest 43% below ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.8%±8.2Highest ME: 15.9%
	Hallowell and Mount Desert 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.