Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Berwick
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 most expensive homes ($538k median).
Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.7%).
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 | Berwick |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
8,175Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
40.7±2.9Lowest 9% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.7%±4.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Berwick 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% |
35%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$94,771±$24kHighest 27% above ME |
| Berwick 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 |
$369,100±$19kLowest 24% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,452±$430Highest 27% above ME |
| Berwick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 41% above ME |
$4,436Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.6%±46Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Berwick and Bar Harbor 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% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±7.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Berwick 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 | #101 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 60/MSAD 60 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.