Compare towns
Knox vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Thorndike
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Knox has the most affordable homes ($160k median).
Mapleton has the most renters (20.1% rent).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Thorndike has the most people working from home (44.7%).
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 | Knox | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Thorndike |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 825Lowest |
1,884Highest |
1,671 |
1,403 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-13%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.1±7.9 8% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
19.3±23.6Lowest 57% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 13.9%±4.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
49.8%±28.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Thorndike and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.3%±2.9 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
11.7%±6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.6%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.5%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and Knox are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $64,821±$9kLowest 13% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$78,438±$14k 5% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $159,600±$26kLowest 46% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$205,600±$88k 31% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,375±$47Highest 21% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$836±$317 27% below ME |
| Knox and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,610Lowest 47% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,537 16% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 11.3%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
36%±62.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Thorndike and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.6% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 80.1% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 22% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.3%±7.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
44.7%±35.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Thorndike and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 03/MSAD 03 |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town | Mt View High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 11.7 |
| 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.