What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).

Manchester has the most affordable homes ($300k median).

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	Manchester
People
Population	1,671Lowest	2,424Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	46.9±4.6Lowest 5% above ME
	Mount Desert and Manchester 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%	19%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Manchester 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 ME: 22.4%	22.6%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Manchester 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%	47.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	2.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Manchester 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	$92,031±$16kLowest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Manchester 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	$299,600±$40kLowest about the ME average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$993±$116Lowest 13% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Highest 16% above ME	$3,486Lowest 15% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%	30.9%±18.6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Manchester 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%	4.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	85%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1977Highest same as ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	20 minHighest 19% below ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	11.9%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Manchester 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 38
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.