Compare towns
Brooklin vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Cushing
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
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 | Brooklin | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 869Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8kLowest 8% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137 9% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
| Cushing and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792 41% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 4% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.