Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Lee vs Tremont
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Lee has the most affordable homes ($175k median).
Tremont has the youngest population (median age 45.6).
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 | Lee | Tremont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
925Lowest |
1,508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.7% ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
51.5±11.5 15% above ME |
45.6±8.5Lowest about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.8%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Lee and Tremont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.5%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Lee 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% |
14.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Lee and Tremont 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 |
$49,886±$5kLowest 33% below ME |
$88,803±$8k 19% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Tremont 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 |
$174,500±$25kLowest 41% below ME |
$407,000±$32k 37% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,217±$406Lowest 7% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Tremont 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 |
$1,547Lowest 49% below ME |
$2,822 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
80%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.1%±21.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lee 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% |
19.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
97%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Tremont 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 30/MSAD 30 | Tremont 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 |
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.