Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Williston vs West Bath
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 the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
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.
| Measure | Mount Desert | Williston | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
10,144Highest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Williston and West Bath 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and West Bath 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. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Williston and West Bath 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. |
$475,800±$40k 43% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kLowest 27% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Williston and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
21 minHighest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | West Bath Public Schools |
| 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.