Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Hancock
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 people working from home (21.9%).
Hancock has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
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 | Hancock |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
2,518Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
| Hancock 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 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Hancock 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 ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock 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 ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$72,285±$5kLowest 3% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$276,800±$51kLowest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock 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% |
8.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | #117 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Hancock Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.