Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Camden vs Eliot 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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Camden has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
Eliot has the most affordable homes ($499k median).
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 | Camden | Eliot | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
5,242 |
7,146Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Camden 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% |
18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Eliot 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%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Camden 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% |
62.1% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Eliot 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 |
$520,600±$70k 76% above ME |
$498,900±$62kLowest 68% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,269±$354 11% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
— |
| Eliot and Camden 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 |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot 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% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5% ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #11 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — |
| 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.