Compare towns
Beals vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Whiting
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 the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Whiting has the most homeowners (93.6%).
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 | Whiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 498Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
506 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 48±15.6 7% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
50±5 12% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Whiting 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% |
17.8%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Whiting 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% |
27.5%±6.1 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% 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% |
2.8%±1.8Lowest 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 |
$55,263±$2kLowest 26% 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$214,200±$52k 28% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $907±$378 20% below ME |
$610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$600±$333Lowest 47% 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 |
$1,728Lowest 43% 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%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Whiting are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.9% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1974 3 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 17% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
22 min 10% below 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% |
5.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | Whiting Public Schools |
| 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.