What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has the most people working from home (19.1%).

Trenton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Mount Desert	Trenton
People
Population	1,671Highest	1,599Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	43.5±7.7Lowest about the ME average
	Mount Desert and Trenton 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%	20.1%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Trenton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	25.5%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Mount Desert and Trenton 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%	42.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
	Trenton 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	$60,455±$13kLowest 19% below ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME	$357,400±$36kLowest 20% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME	$1,102±$241Lowest 3% below ME
	Mount Desert and Trenton 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	$2,310Lowest 24% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	50.3%±20.4Highest ME: 48.4%
	Trenton 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%Lowest ME: 10.7%	18.2%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	77.4%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	29 minHighest 17% above ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	11.3%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Trenton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	Trenton Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.