Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Vinalhaven vs Windham vs Wayne
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).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
Windham has the most kids (19.2% 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 | Vinalhaven | Windham | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,216 |
19,188Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.7% ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$9k 24% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Windham and Wayne 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 |
$428,400±$44k 44% above ME |
$388,900±$22k 31% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Vinalhaven are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,017±$924 11% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Vinalhaven 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
86.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Vinalhaven 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 | — | — | #95 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 14 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.1 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.