Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Mapleton vs West Bath 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%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
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 | Mapleton | West Bath | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
1,884 |
1,863 |
2,917Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Bristol 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% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
52.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mapleton and West Bath 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 |
$91,731±$25kLowest 23% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
| West Bath and Bristol 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
$406,400±$54k 37% above ME |
| 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±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
| Mount Desert and West Bath 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,516Highest 16% above ME |
$2,668 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath 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% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Mount Desert 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 79/MSAD 01 | West Bath Public Schools | Bristol 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.