Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Topsham vs Northport
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 most expensive homes ($522k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Northport has the most affordable homes ($343k median).
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 | Topsham | Northport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
9,706Highest |
1,621Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
56.6±3.8Highest 26% above ME |
| Northport 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±3.5Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Topsham 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±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$73,523±$8kLowest about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Topsham 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 |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$343,400±$36kLowest 16% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 18% above ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,088±$299Lowest 4% below ME |
| Topsham 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 |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$2,721Lowest 10% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
56.8%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Northport and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 27% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±5.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Topsham 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 | — | #66 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Northport Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Ararat High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.