What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).

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	Wells	Mount Desert
People
Population	11,713Highest	1,671Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest ME: +2.6%	+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.6±3.8Lowest 20% above ME	54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME
	Mount Desert and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%	14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Wells and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%	29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Wells 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+	43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	64.4%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8%	3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Wells 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	$88,024±$11kLowest 18% above ME	$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME
	Mount Desert and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME	$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME
	Mount Desert and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME	$1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME
	Wells and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 6% above ME	$3,512Highest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4%	33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Wells and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	7.4%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 12% above ME	18 minLowest 27% below ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Mount Desert and Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Mount Desert Public Schools
High school in town	Wells High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.