What stands out worked out from the figures below

Warner has the most affordable homes ($353k median).

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	Warner	Mount Desert
People
Population	2,959Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.7±4Lowest 12% above U.S.	54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S.
	Mount Desert and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	17.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%	14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Warner and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	20.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Warner 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	$94,022±$18kHighest 16% above U.S.	$92,813±$9kLowest 15% above U.S.
	Warner and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$353,100±$22kLowest 6% above U.S.	$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$123Lowest 14% below U.S.	$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S.
	Mount Desert and Warner are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,650Highest 145% above U.S.	$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	48.7%±21.3Highest U.S.: 51.1%	33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Warner 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	74.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Highest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.	18 minLowest 32% below U.S.
Work from home	16.6%±4.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	19.1%±9.8Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Mount Desert and Warner 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	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.