Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bar Harbor vs Wayne vs Union
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 most affordable homes ($192k median).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Wayne | Union |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884 |
5,244Highest |
1,101Lowest |
2,663 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6 7% below ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Wayne 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%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Union 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% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Wayne and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
85.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor 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 | RSU 38 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | 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.