What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Meredith has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.7%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bar Harbor	Meredith
People
Population	5,244Lowest	6,758Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S.	55.5±3.7Highest 43% above U.S.
	Meredith and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	12.6%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Meredith and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	34.2%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Meredith 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%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	45.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.9%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.	$87,019±$19kHighest 8% above U.S.
	Meredith 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 62% above U.S.	$480,100±$48kLowest 44% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Meredith are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,149±$304Highest 19% below U.S.
	Meredith and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.	$5,006Highest 61% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	48.5%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Meredith 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 U.S.: 12.5%	7.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	26 minHighest about the U.S. average
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	23.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Meredith 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	#62 of 120 in NH
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Inter-Lakes Cooperative School District
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Inter-Lakes High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.1Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.