Compare towns
Lyman vs Minot 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
Minot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Lyman | Minot | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,612Highest |
2,794 |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±2 20% above ME |
49±6.1Lowest 9% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.2%±4 ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Minot and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6.4 ME: 22.4% |
21.3%±4.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 25.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
25.9% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.1%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Minot 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 | $87,284±$14kLowest 17% above ME |
$95,655±$17kHighest 28% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
| Minot and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,400±$44k 22% above ME |
$294,900±$26kLowest about the ME average |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$522 7% below ME |
$878±$801Lowest 23% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,717 11% below ME |
$2,602Lowest 14% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±44.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.7%±40.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lyman and Minot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95% ME: 74.3% |
96%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
16.8%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Lyman 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 | #40 of 133 in ME | #78 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | RSU 16 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| 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.