Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Brunswick
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 oldest population (median age 54.9).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Brunswick |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
17,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Brunswick and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Brunswick 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% |
51.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$70,722±$5kLowest 5% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$363,200±$18kLowest 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
| Brunswick and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick 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% |
8.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 minHighest 7% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #30 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.