Compare towns
Danforth vs Mapleton vs Bar Harbor vs Monticello
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($85k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Monticello has the most homeowners (88.2%).
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 | Danforth | Mapleton | Bar Harbor | Monticello |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 452Lowest |
1,884 |
5,244Highest |
674 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-6.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
52.7±6Highest 18% above ME |
| Monticello and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.8%±6.6 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.8%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±5.8 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
28.2%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Monticello and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$51,875±$13k 31% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$125,800±$36k 58% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $629±$22 45% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$833±$434 27% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | — | $1,789 41% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,200Lowest 60% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.5%±62.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Monticello are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
19.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.4% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 9% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | — | #2 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — |
| High school in town | — | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.