What stands out worked out from the figures below

Reading has the most kids (18.5% under 18).

Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).

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	Reading	Mount Desert
People
Population	699Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	51.1±7.6Lowest 31% above U.S.	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Reading and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	28.2%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Mount Desert and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	46%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.1%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±4.1Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Mount Desert and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$85,000±$19kLowest 5% above U.S.	$92,813±$9kHighest 15% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$377,200±$72kLowest 13% above U.S.	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,100±$331Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S.
	Mount Desert and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,754Highest 84% above U.S.	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	63.3%±31.7Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Reading and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1969 11 yrs older than U.S.	1969 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	22.9%±10.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%	19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Reading and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Mountain Views Unified Union School District #76	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.