Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Lancaster vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Lancaster has the most people working from home (33.6%).
Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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.
| Measure | Bar Harbor | Lancaster | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
8,606Highest |
8,189 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S. |
43.1±4.9Lowest 11% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8 19% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Upton 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% |
19.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.9%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bar Harbor and Upton 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% |
50.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$134,833±$27k 67% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Lancaster are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$519,100±$60kLowest 56% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
| Upton 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±$351 22% below U.S. |
$2,338±$539Highest 65% above U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$7,235 132% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.3%±36.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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% |
1.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971Lowest 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
32 min 20% above U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
33.6%±9.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lancaster and Upton 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 | #145 of 282 in MA | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Nashoba | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.