Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Gouldsboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Ogunquit | Gouldsboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
1,379Lowest |
1,615 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
60.2±5.2 34% above ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±4.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gouldsboro and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
38.8%±6.3 ME: 22.4% |
| 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
1.7%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$60,873±$7kLowest 19% below ME |
| Ogunquit 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±$94k 82% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$276,800±$51kLowest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
— | $1,298±$507Highest 14% above ME |
| Gouldsboro 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 41% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,305Lowest 24% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
80.8%±28.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gouldsboro 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.