Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Castle Hill vs Mapleton
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).
Castle Hill has the most affordable homes ($145k median).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
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 | Castle Hill | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
281Lowest |
1,884 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
— | -3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
57.8±15.8Highest 29% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
| Castle Hill and Bar Harbor 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% |
14.2%±5.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
44.8%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±5.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton 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 |
$54,250±$14kLowest 27% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$145,300±$18kLowest 51% below ME |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$950±$574 17% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Castle Hill are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,449Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,789 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
75%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Castle Hill 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% |
4.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.3%±9.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| 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.