What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Owls Head has the most affordable homes ($413k 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	Owls Head
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,482Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	52.6±6.6Lowest 17% above ME
	Mount Desert and Owls Head 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%	13.6%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Mount Desert and Owls Head 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%	31.9%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Owls Head 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 ME: 36.2%	39.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	2.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Owls Head 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	$87,325±$7kLowest 17% above ME
	Mount Desert and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME	$413,300±$43kLowest 39% above ME
	Mount Desert and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,191±$386Lowest 5% above ME
	Mount Desert and Owls Head 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	$2,981Lowest about the ME average
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4%	29.9%±51.6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Mount Desert and Owls Head 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%	5.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	81.6%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969 8 yrs older than ME	1969 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minHighest 27% below ME	16 minLowest 34% below ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	13.3%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Owls Head are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	RSU 13
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.