Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Brookline vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Brookline has the most kids (20% under 18).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Brookline | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
531Lowest |
1,863Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
45.1±2.7Lowest 16% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20%±6Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Brookline and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.6%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
41.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| West Bath 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 | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$80,833±$16kLowest about the U.S. average |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath 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 57% above U.S. |
$290,700±$37kLowest 13% below U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,732±$232Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327Lowest 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$5,000Highest 60% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
47.8%±94.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brookline and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
21 min 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
20.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Brookline 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 | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.