What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mount Desert	Lancaster
People
Population	1,671Lowest	8,606Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.	43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	19.2%±4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Lancaster and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Mount Desert and Lancaster 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.	$134,833±$27kHighest 67% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.	$519,100±$60kLowest 56% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S.	$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.	$7,235Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Lancaster 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	85.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Lancaster 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	—	#145 of 282 in MA
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Nashoba
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.