Compare towns
Casco vs Mount Desert vs Wayne
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Casco has the youngest population (median age 52).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Casco | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,696Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52±3.3Lowest 16% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.3%±7.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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+ | 32.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Casco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,313±$19kLowest 7% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $355,500±$58kLowest 20% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Casco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,085Lowest about the ME average |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.7%±35.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Casco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Casco and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 61/MSAD 61 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| 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.