Compare towns
Beals vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Addison
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Addison has the most affordable homes ($164k 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 | Beals | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Addison |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
1,045 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
54.2±3.9 21% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Addison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.7%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.4 ME: 22.4% |
| Beals 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+ | 37.6% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
19.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Beals and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,063±$14k 14% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$50,524±$8kLowest 32% below 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 | $256,700±$45k 13% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$163,500±$28kLowest 45% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$900±$807 21% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,580 15% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,625Lowest 46% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
60%±47.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Addison and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
22.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
85%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 17% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
27 min 11% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
8.9%±4.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Beals Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 37/MSAD 37 |
| High school in town | None 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.