Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Freeport vs Ogunquit vs Townsend
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).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Townsend has the youngest population (median age 40.9).
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 | Freeport | Ogunquit | Townsend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
8,802 |
1,379Lowest |
9,100Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
40.9±3.3Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
21%±3.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Townsend and Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.1%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$121,528±$23kHighest 51% above U.S. |
| Townsend 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 62% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$433,200±$22kLowest 30% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,469±$313Highest 4% above U.S. |
| Townsend and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,031Highest 93% 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% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.6%±16.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Townsend 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.5%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | — | #136 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 05 | — | North Middlesex |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Freeport High School | — | North Middlesex Regional |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
12.2 |
— | 13.1Highest |
| 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.