Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bar Harbor vs Danforth vs East Machias
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Danforth has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.3%).
East Machias has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mapleton | Bar Harbor | Danforth | East Machias |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
5,244Highest |
666Lowest |
1,223 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
42.8±2.9 4% below ME |
| Danforth and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| East Machias and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.4%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
33.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$57,589±$10k 23% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$210,800±$23k 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$629±$29 45% below ME |
$907±$566 20% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and East Machias are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$1,836 40% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±40.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| East Machias and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
13.9% ME: 10.7% |
15.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
83.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
28 minHighest 15% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
4.1%±3.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton 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 | — | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | East Machias Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— | — |
| 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.