Compare towns
Appleton vs Bar Harbor vs Strong
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
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).
Strong has the most kids (19.5% 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 | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,360 |
5,244Highest |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
47.5±8.9Lowest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Strong 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% |
22%±4.1Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2.4 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $53,618±$19k 28% below ME |
$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below 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±$33k 21% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$920±$276Lowest 19% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,588 18% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,950Lowest 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 min 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Strong 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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.