What stands out worked out from the figures below

Penobscot has the most affordable homes ($296k median).

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

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	Penobscot	Mount Desert
People
Population	1,154Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.4±5.7Lowest 19% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±6Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Penobscot and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Penobscot 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+	32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Mount Desert and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,141±$33Lowest about the ME average	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$1,852Lowest 39% below ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Penobscot and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	16%Highest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minHighest about the ME average	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Penobscot Public Schools	Mount Desert 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.