Compare towns
Eliot vs Mount Desert vs Wayne
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%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Eliot | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne 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% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$92,813±$9kLowest 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
| Eliot and Wayne 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% 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 |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None 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.