What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Hampton has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bar Harbor	Hampton
People
Population	5,244Lowest	10,101Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S.	51.2±1.7Highest 32% above U.S.
	Hampton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	14.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Hampton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	26.9%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Hampton and Bar Harbor 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 U.S.: 35.7%	44.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.4%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.	$97,163±$4kHighest 20% above U.S.
	Hampton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$538,400±$94kLowest 62% above U.S.	$545,300±$63kHighest 64% above U.S.
	Hampton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,654±$93Highest 17% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.	$6,872Highest 120% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.9%±13.1Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hampton 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 U.S.: 12.5%	4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5% U.S.: 65.2%	74.5% U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1979Lowest 1 yr older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	20.5%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bar Harbor and Hampton 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	#31 of 120 in NH
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	—
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.