Compare towns
Appleton vs Bar Harbor vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Mount Desert has the oldest population (median age 54.9).
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 | Appleton | Bar Harbor | Mapleton | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
5,244Highest |
1,884 |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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 | — | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.