Compare towns
Mars Hill vs Williston vs Searsport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mars Hill has the most affordable homes ($164k median).
Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).
Searsport has the most renters (30.6% rent).
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 | Mars Hill | Williston | Searsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,398Lowest |
10,144Highest |
2,655 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -8.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 43.4±3 12% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5Highest 17% above U.S. |
42.9±7.2Lowest 10% above U.S. |
| Williston and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.9%±5.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
15.8%±5.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Mars Hill and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.5%±5.8Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23.7%±7.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mars Hill and Searsport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% U.S.: 35.7% |
54.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
23.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±3.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Williston and Mars Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,273±$9k 19% below U.S. |
$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S. |
$64,303±$19kLowest 20% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $163,600±$23kLowest 51% below U.S. |
$475,800±$40kHighest 43% above U.S. |
$224,400±$78k 33% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $488±$96Lowest 65% below U.S. |
$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
$1,105±$87 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,843Lowest 41% below U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% above U.S. |
$2,225 29% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.6%±7.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.2%±25.4Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Searsport and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
14.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 70.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
69.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 20% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 25% below U.S. |
22 minHighest 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 6.9%±6.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
20.2%±9.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Williston and Searsport 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 | — | #11 of 70 in VT | #109 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 42/MSAD 42 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | RSU 20 |
| High school in town | Central Aroostook Jr-Sr H S | None in town | Searsport District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.0Lowest |
— | 8.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.