Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Brunswick vs Durham
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).
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
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 | Brunswick | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244 |
22,336Highest |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Durham 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% |
17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Brunswick 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%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest 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% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Lowest 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±$26k 3% above ME |
$74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Durham 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 |
$376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% 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 | $4,279 41% above ME |
$4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,781Lowest 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5% ME: 74.3% |
71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Brunswick High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
10.9Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.