Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Limerick vs Mapleton vs Cape Elizabeth
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Limerick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.2%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
Cape Elizabeth has the most people working from home (31.9%).
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 | Limerick | Mapleton | Cape Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
3,400 |
1,884Lowest |
9,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
40.4±9.2Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
47.4±3.3 6% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Cape Elizabeth 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% |
18.7%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1 ME: 18.1% |
26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Mapleton 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% |
17.1%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.7%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Cape Elizabeth 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% ME: 36.2% |
27.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton 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 |
$101,172±$15k 35% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$269,400±$29k 9% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$731,600±$53kHighest 147% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,758±$407 54% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
| Cape Elizabeth and Limerick 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 |
$2,520 17% below ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Limerick 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% |
6.9% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
5.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
88% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1994Highest 17 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
38 minHighest 53% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
15.2%±6.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Cape Elizabeth 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 | — | — | #1 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | None in town | Cape Elizabeth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | — | 10.5Highest |
| 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.