Mount Desert, ME town hall & government
Mount Desert spent $20.9 million in the year to June 30, 2023, about $9,518 per resident.
Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Mount Desert's government.
Where Mount Desert's money goes
Mount Desert runs its own schools, so school spending is part of its budget. Comparisons are with other Maine towns.
Where the money comes from
- Property taxes 82%
- Fees & charges 8%
- From the state 4%
- From other local governments 3%
- Interest, fines & other 3%
- From the federal government 1%
- Other taxes & licenses <1%
Who works for Mount Desert
Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate. Mount Desert didn't report its staffing to the Census Bureau, so these are the Bureau's estimates.
Mount Desert Community School District
Mount Desert's high school district, shared with Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor and Tremont. The schools are run by Mount Desert, so this money is part of the budget above.
Where the district's money comes from Maine districts overall: 52% local, 40% state, 8% federal
- Local 86%
- State 12%
- Federal 2%
Of the $27,878 per pupil, $16,530 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.
Also serving Mount Desert: Mount Desert ($31,057 per pupil).
Which schools Mount Desert kids attend, test scores and graduation rate →
What homeowners in Mount Desert pay
The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate. In a town this small the survey estimate has a wide margin.
Contact Mount Desert's government
Who represents Mount Desert
Mount Desert is represented in Congress by Senators Susan M. Collins and Angus S. King, Jr. and Representative Jared F. Golden. Janet Mills is governor.
Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.