Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Freeport vs Ogunquit vs Williston
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 most renters (25.5% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Williston has the youngest population (median age 45.4).
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 | Williston |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
8,802 |
1,379Lowest |
10,144Highest |
| 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% |
+16.2% 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. |
45.4±4.5Lowest 17% 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% |
20.5%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Williston 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% |
21%±3.5Lowest 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% |
54.9%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% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Williston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Freeport 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. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
— | $1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,592Highest 79% 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% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Williston 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% |
4.3% 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% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978Lowest 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #4 of 133 in ME | — | #11 of 70 in VT |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 05 | — | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Freeport High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
12.2Highest |
— | — |
| 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.