Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Stetson
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Stetson has the most affordable homes ($206k 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.
| Measure | Mount Desert | Stetson |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,151Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
42.2±5.1Lowest 6% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Stetson 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% |
22.4%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Stetson 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% |
14.2%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Stetson 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 |
$76,023±$28kLowest about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Stetson 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 |
$205,700±$34kLowest 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$800±$377Lowest 30% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,962Lowest 35% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.7%±42Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Stetson 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% |
10.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11%±5.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Stetson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.