Compare towns
Mount Desert vs North Hampton 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).
North Hampton has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | North Hampton | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
4,543Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
50.5±3.3Lowest 30% 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% |
19.2%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| North Hampton 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% |
26%±4.9Lowest 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% |
54.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.5%±1.5Lowest 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. |
$146,458±$29kHighest 81% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| North Hampton 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±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$670,400±$61kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,805±$106Highest 28% above U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$8,529Highest 173% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
23.5%±21Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne 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% |
2.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
91.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
25.9%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and North Hampton 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 | — | #12 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | North Hampton School District | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| 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.