Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Kennebunk vs Mount Desert
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 youngest population (median age 49.2).
Kennebunk has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.8%).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244 |
11,820Highest |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
54.6±3.3 22% above ME |
54.9±8.2Highest 23% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Kennebunk 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% |
17.7%±3Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Kennebunk and Mount Desert 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%±4Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Kennebunk and Mount Desert 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% |
51.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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 |
$107,804±$8kHighest 44% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Mount Desert 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 |
$487,700±$21kLowest 64% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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 |
$1,425±$290Highest 25% above ME |
$1,341±$89 18% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 41% above ME |
$4,999Highest 65% above ME |
$3,512Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.1%±10.9 ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
84.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
32.5%±7.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest 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 | RSU 21 | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Kennebunk High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
11.6Highest |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 12 photos → | 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.