Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Gray 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%).
Gray has the most kids (19% under 18).
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 | Gray | Gouldsboro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,379Lowest |
8,429Highest |
1,615 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
43.4±4.5Lowest 3% below 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% |
19%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
12.9%±4.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Gray and Gouldsboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4Lowest 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% |
44.8% 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% |
5.4%±2.2 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 |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$60,873±$7kLowest 19% below ME |
| Ogunquit and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$276,800±$51kLowest 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
— | $1,371±$89Highest 20% above ME |
$1,298±$507 14% above ME |
| Gray and Gouldsboro 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 |
$3,683 21% 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% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
80.8%±28.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Gouldsboro and Gray 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% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
7.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.4% ME: 74.3% |
82.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs 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 |
29 min 16% above ME |
36 minHighest 46% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.8%±7.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | #10 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 24 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | 12.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.