Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Liberty vs Freeport
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 affordable homes ($230k 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 | Liberty | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,379 |
969Lowest |
8,802Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2.3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9% 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 |
48.8±4.3 9% above 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% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.8%±2.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 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% |
59.6% 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% |
5%±2.3 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 |
$107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Freeport 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 |
$508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
— | $559±$193Lowest 51% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
| Freeport 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$2,434Lowest 20% below ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
38.5%±42.4 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.1% ME: 74.3% |
77.6% 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 |
1984 7 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 |
24 min 4% below 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% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | — | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | RSU 03/MSAD 03 | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | None in town | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | — | 12.2Highest |
| 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.