Compare towns
Berwick vs Mount Desert vs Mapleton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Berwick has the most renters (27% rent).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Berwick | Mount Desert | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,998Highest |
1,671Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±3.6 5% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 22.5%±12.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
| Berwick and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.9%±8.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.4% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.1%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 | $81,406±$39kLowest 9% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above 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 | $323,300±$36k 9% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,041±$901 9% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,806Highest 25% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.9%±45.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 37% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 13.7%±7.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| 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.