What stands out worked out from the figures below

Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).

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	Saco	Mount Desert
People
Population	20,819Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
Kids under 18	16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Saco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.2%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Saco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$92,241±$11kLowest 23% above ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,249±$385Lowest 10% above ME	$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME
	Mount Desert and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,807Highest 58% above ME	$3,512Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Saco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest 3% below ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Saco 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	#38 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Saco Public Schools	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.