What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).

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	Sutton	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,239Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S.	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Mount Desert and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.9%±3.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Sutton 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	$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S.	$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S.
	Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S.	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S.	$1,341±$89Lowest 5% below U.S.
	Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,652Highest 145% above U.S.	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±31.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mount Desert and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	84.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1971Highest 9 yrs older than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 11% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mount Desert and Sutton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Kearsarge Regional School District	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	Kearsarge Regional High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	10.4	—
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.