Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Liberty
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%).
Liberty has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
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 | Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
1,379 |
969Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
40.5±6.8Lowest 10% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Liberty and Bar Harbor 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% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
0.4%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$71,146±$15kLowest 5% 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 |
$229,600±$31kLowest 23% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
— | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 41% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Liberty are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1981 4 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.4%±8.8Lowest 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 03/MSAD 03 |
| 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.