Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Cumberland vs Kennebunk 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).
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
Kennebunk has the most affordable homes ($488k 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 | Cumberland | Kennebunk | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
8,647 |
11,820Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+17.5% ME: +2.6% |
+6.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
41.9±4Lowest 6% below ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.7%±3 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
19.8%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30%±4 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3% ME: 36.2% |
72.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
$107,804±$8k 44% above ME |
$114,259±$56k 53% above ME |
| Cumberland and Ogunquit 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 |
$616,800±$42k 108% above ME |
$487,700±$21kLowest 64% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$2,143±$759Highest 88% above ME |
$1,425±$290 25% above ME |
— |
| Cumberland and Kennebunk 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 |
$7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$4,999 65% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
47.1%±31.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Cumberland 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% |
3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.9% ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25.3%±7 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Ogunquit and Kennebunk 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | RSU 21 | — |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Greely High School | Kennebunk High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
9.5 |
11.6Highest |
— |
| 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.