Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Sumner vs Tremont
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 the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Sumner has the most affordable homes ($150k median).
Tremont has the most kids (20.2% under 18).
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 | Sumner | Tremont |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
845Lowest |
1,508 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+5.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-1.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
56.1±8.4Highest 25% above ME |
45.6±8.5Lowest about the ME average |
| Sumner 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%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±6.9 ME: 18.1% |
20.2%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Tremont and Sumner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.7%±5.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Sumner 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 ME: 36.2% |
15.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Tremont 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±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$57,750±$19kLowest 23% below ME |
$88,803±$8k 19% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Tremont 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 |
$150,000±$73kLowest 49% below ME |
$407,000±$32k 37% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— | $1,217±$406Lowest 7% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Tremont 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 |
$2,167Lowest 29% below ME |
$2,822 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
100%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.1%±21.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sumner 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.6% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
76.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
42 minHighest 72% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±6.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Tremont and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 10 | Tremont Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.