Compare towns
Hope vs Mapleton 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
Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Hope | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,748 |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.6±3.1 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below 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 | 23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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+ | 21.1%±1.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest 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+ | 47.4% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above 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 | $373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below 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 | $3,842Highest 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.8%±38.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 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 | 5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 19% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | ||||
| School district | Hope Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| 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.