Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Needham 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 the shortest commute (18 min average).
Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k 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 | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
32,459Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Needham 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. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above 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% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Needham and Wayne 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 | — | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Needham | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Needham High | None in town |
| 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.