Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Needham vs Bremen
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 the shortest commute (18 min average).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Bremen has the most affordable homes ($425k 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.
| Measure | Mount Desert | Needham | Bremen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
32,459Highest |
917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
52.1±8.2 34% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Bremen 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.1%±9.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bremen 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Needham 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. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$100,000±$21k 24% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$425,300±$28kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$2,829Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Needham 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
22 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±6.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Needham | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.9 |
— |
| 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.