Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Sturbridge vs Wayne
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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Sturbridge has the most kids (20.7% under 18).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
9,960Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
47.2±2.6Lowest 21% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
| Wayne and Mount Desert 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% |
20.7%±3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sturbridge 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% |
19.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
48.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.6%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Wayne and Sturbridge 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. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$425,800±$18k 28% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,193±$398 16% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% 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. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
42%±17.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
38 minHighest 43% above U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.8%±4.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Tantasqua Regional Sr High | None in town |
| 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.