What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

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.

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

Measure	Mount Desert	Southwest Harbor
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,553Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	-0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	48.9±9.3Lowest 9% above ME
	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%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	14.5%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1%
	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%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	26.7%±2.7Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor 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%	35.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%	1.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor 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	$59,205±$21kLowest 21% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME	$428,500±$35kLowest 44% above ME
	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 18% above ME	$959±$50Lowest 16% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Highest 16% above ME	$3,479Lowest 15% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	50.4%±18.4Highest ME: 48.4%
	Southwest Harbor 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%	9.3%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	55.7%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minHighest 27% below ME	16 minLowest 36% below ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	11.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Southwest Harbor Public Schools
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.