Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Freeport
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Needham has the highest household income ($214k).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Freeport has the most affordable homes ($508k median).
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 | Needham | Ogunquit | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
8,802 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±1.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,439±$123 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Needham 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
83.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
32.4%±2.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Needham 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Needham | — | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Needham High | — | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
11.9 |
— | 12.2Highest |
| 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.