Compare towns
Edgecomb vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Edgecomb has the highest household income ($109k).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
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 | Edgecomb | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,251Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41±8.8Lowest 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.9%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±7.2 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Edgecomb are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 8%±6.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Edgecomb and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,750±$18kHighest 46% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
| Edgecomb and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $348,400±$36k 17% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,219±$182 7% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,577 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,842Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 21.1%±43.8 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hope and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 10% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Edgecomb Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None 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.