Compare towns
Arrowsic vs Mount Desert vs Wayne vs Phippsburg
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).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Wayne | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 597Lowest |
1,671 |
1,101 |
2,238Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±8.7Lowest 12% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
54.3±6.3 21% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert 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%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Arrowsic and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31.8%±11.2 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Arrowsic 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% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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±$27k 33% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Arrowsic 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$335,800±$47kLowest 13% 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 |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,022±$346 10% 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 | $3,521Highest 16% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Phippsburg 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.6%±9 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| 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 | 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.