Compare towns
Benton vs Corinth vs Mount Desert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Corinth has the most affordable homes ($136k median).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Benton | Corinth | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,770 |
2,990Highest |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.8% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.8±6 4% below ME |
42.7±6Lowest 5% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
23%±4.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Corinth and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21%±3.9 ME: 22.4% |
16.3%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Benton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 21.2% ME: 36.2% |
20.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.2%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Corinth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $61,437±$5kLowest 18% below ME |
$64,229±$5k 14% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $176,700±$23k 40% below ME |
$135,800±$31kLowest 54% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,110±$123 about the ME average |
$883±$157Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,758 42% below ME |
$1,381Lowest 55% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 65.7%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±11.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Benton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10% ME: 10.7% |
11.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.2% ME: 74.3% |
82.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 21% below ME |
30 minHighest 21% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 6.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Corinth 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 | #85 of 133 in ME | #102 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 49/MSAD 49 | RSU 64/MSAD 64 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Central High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.3 |
— |
| 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.