Compare towns
Arrowsic vs Mount Desert vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Arrowsic has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
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 | Arrowsic | Mount Desert | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 597Lowest |
1,671 |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±8.7 12% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.4%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Arrowsic and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 31.8%±11.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Arrowsic 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+ | 64.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 | $99,107±$27kHighest 33% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Arrowsic and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
| Arrowsic and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,600±$412Highest 40% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Arrowsic and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,521 16% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 20.6%±9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Arrowsic and Bath 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 | — | — | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 14.8 |
| 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.