Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Appleton vs Freeport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Bar Harbor | Appleton | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,360Lowest |
8,802Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Freeport and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
| Freeport and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 41% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Freeport 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | 12.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.