Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Camden vs Casco
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Camden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
Casco has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
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 | Camden | Casco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
3,682Lowest |
3,696 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
52.4±10.1Highest 17% above ME |
52±3.3 16% above ME |
| Camden and Casco 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% |
20.1%±7.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.3%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden 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% |
38.6%±6.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.3%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Casco 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% |
58% ME: 36.2% |
32.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.4%±2.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$78,788±$11kHighest 5% above ME |
$69,313±$19kLowest 7% below ME |
| Camden 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 |
$498,800±$78k 68% above ME |
$355,500±$58kLowest 20% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,149±$924 about the ME average |
$1,395±$184Highest 22% above ME |
| Casco and Camden 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 |
$5,804Highest 91% above ME |
$3,085Lowest about the ME average |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
46.8%±18.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
39.7%±35.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Camden 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% ME: 10.7% |
9.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5% ME: 74.3% |
69.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
23.7%±10.6 ME: 15.9% |
26.6%±10Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Casco and Camden 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 | #11 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.