Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Hampton vs Wayne vs West Bath
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Hampton has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Hampton | Wayne | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
10,101Highest |
1,101Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
51.2±1.7Lowest 32% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% 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% |
14.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| West Bath and Hampton 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% |
26.9%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath and Wayne 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% |
44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and West Bath 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. |
$97,163±$4k 20% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Hampton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Hampton and Mount Desert 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. |
$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$6,872Highest 120% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton and West Bath 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.5%±3.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Hampton 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 | — | #31 of 120 in NH | — | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 38 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 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.