Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Appleton vs Bremen
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Bremen has the most kids (18.6% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Appleton | Bremen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,360 |
917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
52.1±8.2 16% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen 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+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
54.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
| Bremen and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$425,300±$28k 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bremen and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Appleton 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.