Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Jackson vs Northport
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 most expensive homes ($522k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Northport has the most homeowners (87.6%).
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 | Jackson | Northport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
567Lowest |
1,621 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
56.6±3.8Highest 26% above ME |
| Northport 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 ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Jackson 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 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Northport 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 |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$73,523±$8kLowest about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Jackson 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 |
$231,500±$16kLowest 22% below ME |
$343,400±$36k 16% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,088±$299 4% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Northport 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 |
$2,651Lowest 13% below ME |
$2,721 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Northport 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% |
13.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Northport Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.