What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most people working from home (19.1%).

Somerville has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).

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	Somerville
People
Population	1,671Highest	837Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	33.5±11.3Lowest 25% below ME
Kids under 18	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	28.8%±7Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	13.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%	25.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	1.8%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Somerville 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	$71,250±$15kLowest 5% below ME
	Mount Desert and Somerville 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	$218,100±$41kLowest 26% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME	$1,583±$265Highest 39% above ME
	Somerville and Mount Desert 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	$2,505Lowest 17% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	65.7%±58.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Somerville 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%Lowest ME: 10.7%	17%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	85.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	27 minHighest 9% above ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	3.9%±2.3Lowest ME: 15.9%
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.