Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Appleton vs Northport
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%).
Northport has the most homeowners (87.6%).
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 | Northport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,621 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
56.6±3.8Highest 26% above ME |
| Northport and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Appleton and Mount Desert 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% |
39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest 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±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$73,523±$8k about the ME average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$343,400±$36k 16% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$2,721Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Northport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6%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 |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Northport 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 | Northport Public Schools |
| 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 |
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.