Compare towns
Union vs Mount Desert vs Bowdoin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Union has the most kids (24.9% under 18).
Mount Desert has the most expensive homes ($522k median).
Bowdoin has the most renters (15.3% rent).
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 | Union | Mount Desert | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,663 |
1,671Lowest |
3,188Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.6±5.3Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Mount Desert and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Union and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Mount Desert and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.4% ME: 36.2% |
64.4%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Mount Desert and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $80,724±$9kLowest 8% above ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $267,600±$42kLowest 10% below ME |
$522,100±$66kHighest 76% above ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,179±$452Lowest 4% above ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Mount Desert and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,276Lowest 8% above ME |
$3,512Highest 16% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.6%±19.8 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Mount Desert and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.2% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 20% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Mount Desert and Union 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 | — | — | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 40/MSAD 40 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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.