Compare towns
Windham vs Mount Desert vs Grafton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has the most kids (17.5% under 18).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Grafton has the oldest population (median age 59.2).
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 | Windham | Mount Desert | Grafton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 594Lowest |
1,671Highest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 44.2±7.4Lowest 14% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
59.2±4.4Highest 52% above U.S. |
| Grafton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±7.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Windham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 23.2%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.2%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Grafton 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+ | 48.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
48.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.8%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.1%±5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Grafton 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 | $94,500±$12kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$76,111±$7kLowest 6% below U.S. |
| Windham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $353,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kHighest 57% above U.S. |
$343,200±$85kLowest 3% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,288±$174Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Grafton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,951Highest 91% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,843 55% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.2%±94 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
53.8%±69.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Grafton and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.9%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
89.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 20.5%±5.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.8%±5.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Windham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | Athens Grafton School District |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.