Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Liberty vs Ogunquit 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 most renters (25.5% rent).
Liberty has the most affordable homes ($230k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Liberty | Ogunquit | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
969Lowest |
1,379 |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit 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% |
43.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$71,146±$15kLowest 5% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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±$94k 82% above ME |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
— | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
| Mount Desert and Bar Harbor 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 |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.