Compare towns
Bremen vs Mount Desert vs Damariscotta
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%).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Damariscotta has the most renters (30% rent).
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 | Damariscotta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 917Lowest |
1,671 |
2,192Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
49.3±8.6Lowest 10% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Bremen 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Damariscotta and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.2%±4.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Damariscotta 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% |
41.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.4Lowest 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±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$59,423±$11kLowest 20% below 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$363,500±$42kLowest 23% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,027±$88Lowest 10% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,806Highest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
68.2%±22.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Damariscotta and Mount Desert 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
70%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 minHighest 6% below ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
13.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bremen and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | Great Salt Bay CSD |
| 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.