Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Wells 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 shortest commute (18 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+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 | Wells | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
11,713Highest |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells 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 ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert 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 |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Wells and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 min 12% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Mount Desert 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Wells High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.