Compare towns
Bremen vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Islesboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most people working from home (22.7%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Islesboro has the shortest commute (8 min average).
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 | Bremen | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Islesboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917 |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
| Islesboro and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±1.9Lowest 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 | $100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$88,438±$44kLowest 18% above ME |
| Bremen and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28k 43% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$288,800±$140k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$938±$252 18% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829 7% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,300Highest 42% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.8%±85.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
91.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
8 minLowest 69% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
20.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bremen and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school 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.