Compare towns
Bremen vs Mount Desert vs Bristol
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 kids (18.6% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Bristol has the oldest population (median age 61).
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 | Mount Desert | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 917Lowest |
1,671 |
2,917Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2Lowest 16% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Bristol 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%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Mount Desert 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% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21k 34% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
| Bristol and Bremen 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829 7% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 13% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Bremen 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 | — | — | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | Bristol Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.