Compare towns
Castle Hill vs Mount Desert vs Mapleton
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).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% 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 | Castle Hill | Mount Desert | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 281Lowest |
1,671 |
1,884Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest 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% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest 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 |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $950±$574 17% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below 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 |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 min 24% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 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 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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.