Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Wayne vs Webster
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Webster has the most kids (22.6% 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 | Wayne | Webster |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
2,227Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3Highest 43% above U.S. |
44.7±7.6Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Wayne 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
22.6%±8Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Webster 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wayne 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% |
48.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.5%±2.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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±$9kLowest 15% above U.S. |
$93,194±$26k 15% above U.S. |
$107,171±$14kHighest 33% above U.S. |
| Webster 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 57% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29k 9% above U.S. |
$338,500±$30kLowest about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,396±$622Highest about the U.S. average |
| Webster and Mount Desert 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. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$6,021Highest 93% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.6%±71Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Webster 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
7.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
96%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 min 15% above U.S. |
31 minHighest 16% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne 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 38 | Merrimack Valley School District |
| 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 |
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.

