Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Danforth vs Danforth
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).
Danforth has the most kids (14.8% under 18).
Danforth has the most homeowners (81.6%).
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 | Danforth | Danforth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
452Lowest |
666 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— | -0.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
51.9±5.3 16% above ME |
53.1±4.4Highest 19% above ME |
| Danforth and Danforth 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% |
14.8%±6.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Danforth and Danforth 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% |
22.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±3.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Danforth and Bar Harbor 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% |
4.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$42,264±$11kLowest 43% below ME |
$48,125±$8k 36% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Danforth 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 |
$85,200±$20kLowest 71% below ME |
$89,900±$36k 70% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$629±$22Lowest 45% below ME |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
— | $1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
11.5%±71.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Danforth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12% ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.4% ME: 74.3% |
81.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
27 min 9% above ME |
28 minHighest 15% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
3%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | — |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | — |
| 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.