Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Exeter vs Freeport vs Ogunquit
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Exeter has the most affordable homes ($457k median).
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
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 | Exeter | Freeport | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
16,151Highest |
8,802 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3Lowest 18% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
17%±2.7 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Freeport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13k 37% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$456,600±$21kLowest 37% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
25 min 6% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #22 of 120 in NH | #4 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | RSU 05 | — |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Exeter High School | Freeport High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
12.1 |
12.2Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.