Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Sturbridge vs Bremen
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).
Sturbridge has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.5%).
Bremen has the most people working from home (22.7%).
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 | Sturbridge | Bremen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
9,960Highest |
917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Lowest 21% above U.S. |
52.1±8.2 34% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.6%±5.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge and Bremen 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% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
34.1%±9.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bremen 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% |
49.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Sturbridge and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$136,759±$15kHighest 69% above U.S. |
$100,000±$21k 24% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$425,300±$28kLowest 28% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398Lowest 16% below U.S. |
— |
| Mount Desert and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$6,520Highest 109% above U.S. |
$2,829Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Sturbridge 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
22 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±6.8Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bremen and Sturbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #89 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Sturbridge · Tantasqua | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 7.7 |
— |
| 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.