Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Bristol
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).
Bristol has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).
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 | Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
2,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bristol and Bar Harbor 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% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
| Bristol 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 |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Bristol 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 |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Bristol 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% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minHighest 20% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bristol and Bar Harbor 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 | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Bristol Public Schools |
| 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.