Compare towns
Bremen vs Mount Desert vs Wayne vs Arrowsic
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 highest household income ($100k).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Arrowsic has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Wayne | Arrowsic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 917 |
1,671Highest |
1,101 |
597Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
50.3±8.7Lowest 12% above ME |
| Wayne 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% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Arrowsic 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% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±11.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Arrowsic 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% ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$99,107±$27k 33% above ME |
| Bremen and Arrowsic 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±$66k 76% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
| Arrowsic and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,600±$412Highest 40% above ME |
| Arrowsic and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,521Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.6%±9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 | — |
| 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.