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 (+5.1%).

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	16,426Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+5.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S.	55.8±2.1Highest 43% 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%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%	11.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bar Harbor and Hampton 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%	30.9%±2.8Highest 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%	42.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	3.1%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.	$95,233±$9kHighest 18% 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.	$550,200±$39kHighest 65% 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.	$1,628±$94Highest 15% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.	$6,813Highest 118% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.8%±10.4Highest 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%	5.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	73.8%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1978Lowest 2 yrs 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%	21.7%±3.3Lowest 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	Hampton School District · Winnacunnet Cooperative School District
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Winnacunnet High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	10.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.