Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Sutton vs Northport
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).
Sutton has the highest household income ($147k).
Northport has the most affordable homes ($343k 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 | Sutton | Northport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
9,452Highest |
1,621Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
56.6±3.8Highest 46% above U.S. |
| Northport 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% |
19.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton 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% |
18.8%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.2%±3.7Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
52.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$147,125±$25kHighest 82% above U.S. |
$73,523±$8kLowest 9% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$343,400±$36kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,190±$401 16% below U.S. |
$1,088±$299Lowest 23% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Sutton 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. |
$6,763Highest 117% above U.S. |
$2,721Lowest 13% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.5%±24.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.8%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Northport and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981Highest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 12% above U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.2%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sutton and Mount Desert 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 | — | #105 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Sutton | Northport Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6 |
— |
| 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.