Compare towns
Lyman vs Mount Desert vs Casco
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lyman has the most kids (15.2% under 18).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Casco has the most people working from home (26.6%).
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 | Mount Desert | Casco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,612Highest |
1,671Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 53.8±2 20% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
52±3.3Lowest 16% 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%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lyman and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±6.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Casco 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Casco 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±$14k 17% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$69,313±$19kLowest 7% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Lyman 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 |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$355,500±$58kLowest 20% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,063±$522Lowest 7% below ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
| Casco and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,717Lowest 11% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,085 about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 37.7%±44.7 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Casco and Lyman are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 33 minHighest 35% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.9%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Casco 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 | #40 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 57/MSAD 57 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.