Compare towns
Appleton vs Bar Harbor vs Hope
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Hope has the most kids (23.3% under 18).
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 | Appleton | Bar Harbor | Hope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360Lowest |
5,244Highest |
1,748 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Appleton 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%±5 ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest 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% |
47.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$86,766±$6kHighest 16% above ME |
| Hope and Bar Harbor 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 |
$373,400±$33k 26% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME |
| Hope and Bar Harbor 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 |
$3,842 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
92.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Hope 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 | Hope Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.