Compare towns

Mount Desert vs Windham

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 most expensive homes ($522k median).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).

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.

MeasureMount DesertWindham
People
Population
1,671Lowest
19,188Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+4.5%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
+8.4%Highest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
54.9±8.2Highest
23% above ME
41.8±1.8Lowest
7% below ME
Kids under 18
14.1%±4.7Lowest
ME: 18.1%
19.2%±2.7Highest
ME: 18.1%
Windham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
29.1%±4.9Highest
ME: 22.4%
15.9%±2.1Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
64.4%Highest
ME: 36.2%
44.2%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
3.9%±4.1
ME: 5.8%
3.9%±1.1
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$92,813±$9kLowest
24% above ME
$107,934±$14kHighest
44% above ME
Windham 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
$388,900±$22kLowest
31% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,341±$89Highest
18% above ME
$1,232±$332Lowest
8% above ME
Mount Desert and Windham 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
$3,938Highest
30% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
33.9%±31.5Highest
ME: 48.4%
32.7%±14.7Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Mount Desert and Windham 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%
3.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
84.8%Highest
ME: 74.3%
84.6%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1969Lowest
8 yrs older than ME
1985Highest
8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
18 minLowest
27% below ME
26 minHighest
7% above ME
Work from home
19.1%±9.8Highest
ME: 15.9%
19%±4.1Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Mount Desert and Windham 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 — #95 of 133 in ME
School district Mount Desert Public Schools RSU 14
High school in town None in town Windham High School
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.1
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.