What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most people working from home (19.1%).

Jefferson has the most kids (28% under 18).

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	Jefferson
People
Population	1,671Lowest	2,647Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+5.1%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	38.1±4.9Lowest 15% below ME
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	28%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	18.7%±3.5Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	27.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.6%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8%
	Jefferson 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	$85,078±$17kLowest 14% above ME
	Mount Desert and Jefferson 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	$311,600±$35kLowest 5% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,120±$130Lowest about the ME average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Highest 16% above ME	$2,587Lowest 15% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%	29.8%±25.1Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Jefferson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%	3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	83.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	30 minHighest 23% above ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	8.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Jefferson 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	—	#45 of 133 in ME
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Jefferson Public Schools
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.