Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Brewer
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 people working from home (21.9%).
Brewer has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2%).
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 | Brewer |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
9,652Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer 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% |
7.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,374Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 20% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #32 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Brewer Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Brewer High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
14.0Highest |
| 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.