What stands out worked out from the figures below

Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).

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	Appleton	Bar Harbor
People
Population	1,360Lowest	5,244Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6%	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.2±7.4 10% above ME	49.2±5.9 10% above ME
Kids under 18	15.3%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1%	11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Appleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4%	25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Appleton 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+	34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	68.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8%	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME	$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME	$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME	$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average
	Bar Harbor and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,588Lowest 18% above ME	$4,279Highest 41% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4%	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Appleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	9.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	82.6%Highest ME: 74.3%	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	30 minHighest 23% above ME	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Bar Harbor and Appleton 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	—	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	Appleton 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.