Compare towns
Standish vs Mount Desert vs Hampden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Hampden has the most kids (25.8% under 18).
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.
| Measure | Standish | Mount Desert | Hampden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 10,662Highest |
1,671Lowest |
7,896 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
41±2.9 8% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
25.8%±5.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
45.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$111,959±$13kHighest 50% above ME |
| Hampden and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$301,300±$38kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,286±$317 13% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Hampden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,694Highest 22% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.4%±22.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
22.2%±15.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Standish and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 13.6%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±5.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Hampden and Mount Desert 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | — | #6 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | Bonny Eagle High School | None in town | Hampden Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.5Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.