Compare towns
Brooklin vs Mount Desert vs Beals
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooklin has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k 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 | Brooklin | Mount Desert | Beals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 869 |
1,671Highest |
498Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% 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%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,750±$8k 8% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90k 14% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137 9% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Brooklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Brooklin 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% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1974 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
21 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Brooklin Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | Beals Public Schools |
| 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.