Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Gorham vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit
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 most renters (25.5% rent).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Gorham | Mount Desert | Ogunquit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
18,300Highest |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Bar Harbor 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 3% above ME |
$112,312±$6k 50% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$460,900±$26kLowest 55% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
— |
| Gorham and Mount Desert 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 |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7% ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Gorham Public Schools | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Gorham High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
— | — |
| 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.