Compare towns
Brooks vs Jackson vs Mount Desert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brooks has the most affordable homes ($197k median).
Jackson has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k 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 | Brooks | Jackson | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,208 |
567Lowest |
1,671Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
37.7±5.8Lowest 16% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.1%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±4.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
41.9% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks 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 | $59,130±$10kLowest 21% below ME |
$75,167±$19k about the ME average |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $196,700±$33kLowest 34% below ME |
$231,500±$16k 22% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$629±$12Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096Lowest 31% below ME |
$2,651 13% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
6.3%±60.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 19.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
13.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1993Highest 16 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
35 minHighest 41% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.3%±6.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Jackson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school 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.