What stands out worked out from the figures below

Acton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).

Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Acton	Bar Harbor
People
Population	2,721Lowest	5,244Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+9.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	52.9±4.2Highest 18% above ME	49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME
	Acton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	13.1%±4Highest ME: 18.1%	11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Acton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.2%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4%	25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Acton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.2%Lowest ME: 36.2%	68.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.6%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$78,750±$15kHighest 5% above ME	$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME
	Acton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$334,300±$34kLowest 13% above ME	$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	—	$1,106±$351 about the ME average
Property taxmedian, yearly	$2,680Lowest 12% below ME	$4,279Highest 41% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	100%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Acton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	7.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	96.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	40 minHighest 64% above ME	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	18.2%±8.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Bar Harbor and Acton 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	#43 of 133 in ME	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	Acton Public Schools	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD
High school in town	None in town	Mt Desert Island High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	8.2
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.