Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Kennebunk
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 expensive homes ($538k median).
Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.8%).
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 | Kennebunk |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
6,221Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
| Kennebunk 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% |
18.1%±4.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk 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% |
30.9%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk 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% |
52%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$95,169±$21kHighest 27% above ME |
| Kennebunk 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±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$452,800±$17kLowest 53% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Kennebunk 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 |
$1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Bar Harbor 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 |
$4,771Highest 57% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
23 minHighest 8% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk and Bar Harbor 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 | #9 of 133 in ME |
| 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 Our Story | 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.