What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).

Naples has grown the fastest since 2010 (+1.4%).

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	Naples
People
Population	5,244Highest	3,985Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+1.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME	49.8±6.8Highest 11% above ME
	Naples 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 ME: 18.1%	15.6%±4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Naples and Bar Harbor 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%	23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bar Harbor and Naples 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%	37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME	$78,188±$13kHighest 5% above ME
	Naples 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	$340,100±$48kLowest 15% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average	$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME
	Naples 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	$2,784Lowest 8% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4%
	Naples 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%	9.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%	87.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 20% below ME	38 minHighest 56% above ME
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	26.7%±11.8Highest ME: 15.9%
	Naples 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	#118 of 133 in ME
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	RSU 61/MSAD 61
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Lake Region High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.7Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.