Compare towns
Brooklin 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
Brooklin has the most affordable homes ($339k median).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Cushing has the most kids (17.1% 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 | Brooklin | Mount Desert | Cushing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 869Lowest |
1,671Highest |
1,460 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±3.7 10% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cushing and Brooklin 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% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.2%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooklin 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 | $68,750±$8kLowest 8% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $339,400±$90kLowest 14% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,236±$137Lowest 9% above 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 | $1,792Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.5%±25Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.4%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 |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
| Work from home | 16.5%±6.8Lowest 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 13 |
| High school in town | None 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.