Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Mapleton vs Strong
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).
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most homeowners (84.6%).
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 | Strong |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Strong 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% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Strong 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% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest 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±$26k 3% above ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bar Harbor 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±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Strong 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 |
$1,950 36% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Strong 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Strong 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 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 |
| 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 |
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.