Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Cushing vs Wayne vs Bremen
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Cushing has the youngest population (median age 48.8).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bremen has the most kids (18.6% 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 | Cushing | Wayne | Bremen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671Highest |
1,460 |
1,101 |
917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.1% ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
48.8±7.7Lowest 9% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
52.1±8.2 16% 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% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.6%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bremen and Cushing 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% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Wayne 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% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
54.2% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Wayne 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 24% above ME |
$83,500±$19kLowest 12% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
| Bremen and Wayne 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 |
$409,800±$44k 38% above ME |
$362,800±$29kLowest 22% above ME |
$425,300±$28k 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
— |
| Cushing and Mount Desert 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 |
$3,944Highest 30% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Cushing 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% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
9.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
93.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
22 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±6.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 13 | RSU 38 | — |
| 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 | 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.