Compare towns
Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Surry
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).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
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 | Surry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884Highest |
1,671Lowest |
1,836 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Surry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Surry 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% |
30.9%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Surry and Mount Desert 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% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton 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 | $91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$74,508±$12kLowest about the ME average |
| 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±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$969±$129 15% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,903 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Surry 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 | Surry Public Schools |
| 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.