Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Gorham vs Saco
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Gorham has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Saco has the most affordable homes ($413k median).
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 | Saco |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
18,300 |
20,819Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
| Bar Harbor and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Saco 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2Lowest 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±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
$413,100±$17kLowest 39% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
| Gorham and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 41% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$4,807 58% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Saco and Bar Harbor 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
72.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
24 min 3% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham 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 | #24 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Gorham Public Schools | Saco 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 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.