Compare towns
Sullivan vs Mount Desert vs Solon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the most kids (18% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Solon has the most affordable homes ($184k 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 | Sullivan | Mount Desert | Solon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,246 |
1,671Highest |
963Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-7.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
45.9±5.4Lowest about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Sullivan and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.9%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
25%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.3%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Sullivan 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 | $59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$69,205±$20k 7% below ME |
| Mount Desert and Solon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33k 25% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$183,600±$12kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$915±$100 20% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228 27% below ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$1,854Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
14.6%±48.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Sullivan and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Highest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
52 minHighest 113% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | RSU 24 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 74/MSAD 74 |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.