Compare towns
Hallowell 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
Hallowell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
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 | Hallowell | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,592Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.3±7.9Lowest 12% 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 | 13.2%±5.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 33.2%±7.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Hallowell and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.5% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.4%±6.2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $68,398±$10kLowest 8% below ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $295,300±$45kLowest about the ME average |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $890±$175Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,867Highest 27% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.1%±17.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Hallowell and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.8% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 58.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 14 minLowest 43% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±8.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Hallowell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 02 | 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.