Compare towns
Appleton vs Mount Desert vs West Bath
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).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
1,671 |
1,863Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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+ | 34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath 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 | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and West Bath 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 | West Bath Public Schools |
| 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.