Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Danforth vs Mount Desert vs Camden
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 youngest population (median age 49.2).
Danforth has the most affordable homes ($90k median).
Mount Desert has the highest household income ($93k).
Camden has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.9%).
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 | Mount Desert | Camden |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
666Lowest |
1,671 |
5,242 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.3% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
53.1±4.4 19% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
| Mount Desert 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% |
13.4%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Mount Desert 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% |
26.1%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Mount Desert 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% |
9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
62.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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 |
$48,125±$8kLowest 36% below ME |
$92,813±$9kHighest 24% above ME |
$82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Camden 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 |
$89,900±$36kLowest 70% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$520,600±$70k 76% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$629±$29Lowest 45% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$1,269±$354 11% above ME |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$1,270Lowest 58% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$5,832Highest 92% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.1%±57.5 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Camden 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5% ME: 74.3% |
81.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1970 7 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
28 minHighest 15% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
22 min 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.8%±3.4Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor 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 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 28/MSAD 28 |
| 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 History | 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.