Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Appleton vs Wayne vs Cranberry Isles
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 the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Cranberry Isles has the most kids (19.4% 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 | Wayne | Cranberry Isles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,360 |
1,101 |
196Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
48±11.9Lowest 7% above ME |
| Wayne 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%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±9.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cranberry Isles 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%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±7.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
51.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
6.6%±3.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cranberry Isles and Wayne 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 |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$65,000±$37k 13% below ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$439,100±$51k 48% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Cranberry Isles are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,000±$413 12% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512 16% above ME |
$3,588Highest 18% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$3,273Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
71.4%±79 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Cranberry Isles 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% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
4.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.6% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 min 23% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
20 min 17% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.5%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | RSU 38 | Cranberry Isles Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.