What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).

Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bar Harbor	Brunswick
People
Population	5,244Lowest	22,336Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+7.3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME	40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%	17.2%±2.2Highest ME: 18.1%
	Brunswick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4%	22.9%±2.2Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bar Harbor and Brunswick 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%	53.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8%	13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8%
	Brunswick and Bar Harbor 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	$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average
	Bar Harbor and Brunswick 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	$376,300±$15kLowest 27% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average	$1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME
	Brunswick 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	$4,756Highest 57% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4%
	Brunswick 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%	7.7%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Highest ME: 74.3%	71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME	1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 20% below ME	23 minHighest 5% below ME
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%	19.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bar Harbor and Brunswick 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	#30 of 133 in ME
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Brunswick High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	10.9Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.