What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).

Northport has the most affordable homes ($343k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mount Desert	Northport
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,621Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Lowest 23% above ME	56.6±3.8Highest 26% above ME
	Northport 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%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%	13.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Desert and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	52.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME	$73,523±$8kLowest about the ME average
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME	$343,400±$36kLowest 16% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME
	Mount Desert and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Highest 16% above ME	$2,721Lowest 10% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Northport 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 ME: 10.7%	5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	87.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Northport Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.