Compare towns
Bristol vs Mount Desert vs Woolwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Woolwich has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
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 | Bristol | Mount Desert | Woolwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,917 |
1,671Lowest |
3,158Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
54.9±8.2Lowest 23% above ME |
55.8±5.5 25% above ME |
| Bristol and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Woolwich and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$102,175±$26kHighest 37% above ME |
| Woolwich and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$254,500±$59kLowest 14% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,668 12% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 28% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Mount Desert 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 | — | #92 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bristol Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.