What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).

Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).

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	Newfields
People
Population	1,671Lowest	2,023Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.	44.1±1.8Lowest 13% above U.S.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.9%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22%
	Newfields 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 U.S.: 17.2%	13.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	68.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	7.5%±7.2Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Newfields 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.	$197,885±$15kHighest 145% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S.	$646,400±$34kHighest 94% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S.	$1,875±$323Highest 33% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	43.3%±40.8Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Newfields 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	2.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	95.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.	1991Highest 11 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	25.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Newfields 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	Newfields School District
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.