Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Mapleton vs Mount Desert vs Wayne
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).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Mount Desert has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.5%).
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
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 | Mapleton | Mount Desert | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
1,884 |
1,671 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
+4.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne 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%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.1%±4.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
48.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne 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 |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% 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±$351 about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$983±$554 14% below 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 | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$3,289 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Mount Desert Public Schools | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | 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.