Compare towns
Blue Hill vs Mapleton vs Surry 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
Blue Hill has the most people working from home (21%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Blue Hill | Mapleton | Surry | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,813Highest |
1,884 |
1,836 |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.9% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.2 8% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.3%±7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.6%±10.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 38.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.7%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Blue Hill and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $80,377±$17k 8% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% 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 | $399,500±$82k 35% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,038±$638 9% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Blue Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,907 4% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 93.6%±27.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Blue Hill and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1987 10 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 15% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 21%±9.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Blue Hill and Mount Desert 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 | #29 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | Blue Hill Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Surry Public Schools | Mount Desert 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.