What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).

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	Needham
People
Population	5,244Lowest	32,459Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S.	43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Needham 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%	27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	68.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.	$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$538,400±$94kLowest 62% above U.S.	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.	$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Needham 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%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Needham 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	#19 of 282 in MA
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Needham
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Needham High
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.9Highest
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.