What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).

West Bath has the most affordable homes ($423k median).

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	West Bath
People
Population	1,671Lowest	1,863Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME	54.2±5.6Lowest 21% above ME
	Mount Desert and West Bath 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%	14.7%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	West Bath 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%	29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4%
	West Bath 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 ME: 36.2%	50.7%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	West Bath 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 24% above ME	$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME
	West Bath 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	$422,800±$102kLowest 43% above ME
	Mount Desert and West Bath 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	$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average
	Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME	$3,516Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%	41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	West Bath 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%Highest ME: 10.7%	3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%	82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME	1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	18 minLowest 27% below ME	21 minHighest 16% below ME
Work from home	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%	17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mount Desert Public Schools	West Bath 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.