Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Appleton vs Union
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%).
Union has the most kids (24.9% 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 | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,360Lowest |
2,663Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Appleton 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% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Appleton 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% |
34.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest 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 |
$80,724±$9k 8% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Union 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 |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,179±$452 4% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Union 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 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| 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.