Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Bristol vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit
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 renters (25.5% rent).
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($406k median).
Mount Desert has the most kids (14.1% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Mount Desert | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
2,917 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
61±3.2 36% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.5 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert and Bristol 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%±8.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Bristol 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% |
52.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$100,750±$19k 35% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$406,400±$54kLowest 37% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
— |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$2,668Lowest 12% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
1969 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
18 minLowest 28% below ME |
18 min 27% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Bristol 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.