Compare towns
Brooks vs Knox vs Mapleton 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 renters (25.4% rent).
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Brooks | Knox | Mapleton | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,208 |
825Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -6.3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.9±6.6 about the ME average |
41.1±7.9Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% 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%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.5% ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Brooks and Mapleton 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 |
$64,821±$9k 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% 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 | $196,700±$33k 34% below ME |
$159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,116±$112 about the ME average |
$1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
| Knox and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,096 31% below ME |
$1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 18%±17.3 ME: 48.4% |
11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 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% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 14.5%±2.9 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Brooks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert 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 | 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.