Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Monroe vs Castle Hill
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 renters (20.1% rent).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k 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 | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Monroe | Castle Hill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,671 |
1,001 |
281Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+4.6%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
43.5±7 about the ME average |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
| Castle Hill and Mount Desert 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% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe 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% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
29.1% ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below 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 | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Monroe 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 |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$2,207 27% below ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
50.9%±47.8 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill and Monroe 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
11.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
87.4% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
32 minHighest 28% above ME |
19 min 24% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Monroe 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 | None in town | — |
| 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.