Compare towns
Appleton vs Mount Desert vs Liberty
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%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Liberty has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
1,671Highest |
969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Appleton 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$71,146±$15k 5% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Liberty 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Liberty 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Appleton Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.