Compare towns
Eliot vs Bristol 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
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
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 | Eliot | Bristol | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Highest |
2,917 |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
| Bristol and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Eliot and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
| Eliot and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minHighest 9% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Mount Desert 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #16 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bristol Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.