Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Ripton vs Southwest Harbor
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 most expensive homes ($522k median).
Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).
Southwest Harbor has the most renters (44.3% rent).
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 | Ripton | Southwest Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
508Lowest |
1,553 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
47.7±14.2Lowest 23% above U.S. |
48.9±9.3 26% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor 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% |
11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.5%±5.1Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Southwest Harbor 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% |
30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ripton 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% |
48% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S. |
$59,205±$21kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Ripton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S. |
$428,500±$35k 29% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
— | $959±$50Lowest 32% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$4,915Highest 58% above U.S. |
$3,479Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.4%±18.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ripton and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
55.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 32% below U.S. |
24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
16 minLowest 41% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.2%±8.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Mount Desert and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Addison Central Unified Union School District #55 | Southwest Harbor Public Schools |
| 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.