Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Topsham
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 affordable homes ($192k median).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Bowdoin | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,188 |
1,884 |
1,671Lowest |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$91,028±$10kLowest 22% 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 | $292,800±$71k about the ME average |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375 11% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Topsham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Topsham 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — | — | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 12.2 |
| 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.