Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Needham vs Ogunquit vs Gouldsboro
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 most kids (27.5% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gouldsboro has the most affordable homes ($277k 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 | Gouldsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
32,459Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,615 |
| 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% |
-2% 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. |
60.2±5.2 55% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Gouldsboro 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% |
27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±4.8 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% |
38.8%±6.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Gouldsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.4%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%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26k 4% below U.S. |
$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$60,873±$7kLowest 25% below 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. |
$276,800±$51kLowest 17% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S. |
— | $1,298±$507 8% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 37% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$2,305Lowest 26% below 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% |
80.8%±28.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gouldsboro 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% |
7.2% 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% |
82.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
28 min 5% above U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
36 minHighest 36% above 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% |
15.8%±7.3Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Needham | — | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Needham High | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
11.9Highest |
— | — |
| 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.