Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Milton vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Milton has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Milton | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
4,538Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
45.7±2.4Lowest 17% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Wayne 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 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Milton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.1%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne and Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
21.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne 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±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$94,493±$27kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Milton and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$318,400±$34kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$362,800±$29k 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,587±$318Highest 12% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Milton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$5,663Highest 82% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
63.7%±24.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Milton 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 26% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.9%±6.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 | — | #116 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Milton School District | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Nute High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.6 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.