Compare towns
Castle Hill 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
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 281Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 | $54,250±$14kLowest 27% 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 | $145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school 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.