Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Sutton vs Upton vs West Bath
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 youngest population (median age 44.3).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
West Bath has the most affordable homes ($423k 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 | Upton | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
9,452Highest |
8,189 |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
44.3±2.5Lowest 14% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and West Bath 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% |
19.6%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Sutton 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% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath 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% |
52.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Bath 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. |
$147,125±$25k 82% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$523,100±$47k 57% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Upton and Sutton 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. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% 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 | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$6,763 117% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above 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% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 min 12% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Upton and Sutton 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 | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Sutton | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Sutton High School | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.6Highest |
11.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.