Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Mount Desert vs Ogunquit vs Upton
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
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 | Mount Desert | Ogunquit | Upton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,671 |
1,379Lowest |
8,189Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit 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%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
| Upton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 22% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
— | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
| 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 | $4,279 37% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — | #46 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town | — | Blackstone Valley |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | — | 11.2Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.