Compare towns
Mount Desert 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%).
Wayne has the most affordable homes ($363k median).
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 | Wayne | Bristol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
2,917Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Lowest 23% 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% |
13.4%±3.9Lowest 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%±4.9Lowest 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% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 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±$9kLowest 24% 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 |
$362,800±$29kLowest 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 |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,051±$106 8% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Wayne 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% |
7.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 min 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest 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 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.