Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Lisbon vs Topsham
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).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Topsham has the highest household income ($91k).
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 | Lisbon | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
9,750Highest |
9,706 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham 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% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham 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% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
| Topsham and Lisbon 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 |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lisbon and Bar Harbor 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% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Lisbon 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Lisbon High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
15.8Highest |
12.2 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.