Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Exeter vs Wayne vs Bristol
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%).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($167k median).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bristol has the oldest population (median age 61).
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 | Exeter | Wayne | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,093Lowest |
1,101 |
2,917Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-11.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
52.6±7.7Lowest 17% above ME |
55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Bristol and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
9%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Bristol 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% |
23.9%±11.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
15%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
52.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$84,408±$12kLowest 13% above ME |
$93,194±$26k 25% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
| Bristol 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 |
$166,700±$39kLowest 44% below ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Bristol 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 |
$995±$386 13% below ME |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,602Lowest 47% below ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,668 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±73.8 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Exeter 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% |
8.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
93.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
35 minHighest 43% above ME |
30 min 24% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±5.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bristol 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 | — | — | — | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | RSU 38 | Bristol Public Schools |
| 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.