Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Freeport vs Needham 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).
Freeport has the most affordable homes ($508k median).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
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 | Freeport | Needham | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
8,802 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Needham 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% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #19 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 05 | Needham | — |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Freeport High School | Needham High | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
12.2Highest |
11.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.