What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).

Palermo has the most affordable homes ($260k 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	Palermo
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,473Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	43.4±6.1Lowest 3% below ME
	Mount Desert and Palermo are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	18.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1%
	Palermo 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 ME: 22.4%	21.2%±2Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	31.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	3.2%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Palermo 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	$89,095±$15kLowest 19% above ME
	Mount Desert and Palermo 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	$259,700±$54kLowest 12% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,235±$1kLowest 8% above ME
	Mount Desert and Palermo 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	$2,506Lowest 17% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	65.6%±100Highest ME: 48.4%
	Palermo 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%	4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	91.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	31 minHighest 24% above ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	18.8%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Palermo 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 12
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.