Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Wayne vs Wolfeboro
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 affordable homes ($363k median).
Wolfeboro has the most renters (21.9% rent).
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 | Wolfeboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
6,571Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Lowest 41% above U.S. |
55.6±5.3 43% above U.S. |
57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
13.7%±3.3 U.S.: 22% |
| Mount Desert and Wolfeboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.2%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Wolfeboro and Wayne 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% |
45%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% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest 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. |
$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro 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±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$362,800±$29kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S. |
| Wolfeboro 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. |
$983±$554Lowest 30% below U.S. |
$1,103±$76 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 13% above U.S. |
$3,289Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,531Highest 45% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
25%±52.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne 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% |
8.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
78.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 15% above U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.2%±11.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Wayne and Wolfeboro 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 | — | — | #46 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 | Governor Wentworth Regional School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Kingswood Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 11.1 |
| 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.