What stands out worked out from the figures below

Ripton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+25.7%).

Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k 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	Ripton	Mount Desert
People
Population	508Lowest	1,671Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+25.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	47.7±14.2Lowest 23% above U.S.	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.8%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Mount Desert and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	30.5%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	29.1%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Ripton 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+	48%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	20.1%±6.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$112,917±$15kHighest 40% above U.S.	$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S.
	Ripton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$394,400±$61kLowest 19% above U.S.	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,341±$89 5% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,915Highest 58% above U.S.	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	52.9%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Ripton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1973Highest 7 yrs older than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 9% below U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	17.2%±8.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mount Desert and Ripton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Addison Central Unified Union School District #55	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.