Compare towns
Monroe vs Mount Desert vs Frankfort
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Monroe has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Frankfort has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.5%).
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 | Monroe | Mount Desert | Frankfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,001Lowest |
1,671Highest |
1,098 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.6% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43.5±7Lowest about the ME average |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
50.2±5.8 12% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Frankfort are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 23.7%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.8%±3.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Monroe and Frankfort are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.6%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 29.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
31% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±4.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.2%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Monroe 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 | $81,300±$7k 9% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$80,000±$26kLowest 7% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $220,300±$57k 26% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$211,300±$60kLowest 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,165±$152 about the ME average |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$850±$299Lowest 25% 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 | $2,207 27% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,926Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±47.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±88Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Monroe and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 11.3% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.4% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1991 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 32 min 28% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
32 minHighest 31% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.8%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.7%±4.7Lowest 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 03/MSAD 03 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.