Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Mount Desert vs Winter Harbor
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 youngest population (median age 49.2).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Mount Desert has the most kids (14.1% under 18).
Winter Harbor has the most affordable homes ($211k 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 | Mount Desert | Winter Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
1,379 |
1,671 |
493Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.5% ME: +2.6% |
-10.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8 40% above ME |
54.9±8.2 23% above ME |
64.6±5.5Highest 44% above ME |
| Winter Harbor and Ogunquit 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% |
14.1%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mount Desert 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%±10.1 ME: 22.4% |
29.1%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
47.3%±18.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Winter Harbor and Ogunquit 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% |
64.4% ME: 36.2% |
31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.3%±8.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$92,813±$9k 24% above ME |
$86,250±$38k 15% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert 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 |
$522,100±$66k 76% above ME |
$210,500±$43kLowest 29% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
— | $1,341±$89Highest 18% above ME |
$818±$433Lowest 28% below ME |
| Mount Desert 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 |
$3,512 16% above ME |
$1,422Lowest 53% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
33.9%±31.5 ME: 48.4% |
66.7%±37.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Winter Harbor 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% |
7.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.8% ME: 74.3% |
80.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 20% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.1%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
5.2%±6.2Lowest 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 | — | Mount Desert Public Schools | — |
| 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 Our Story | 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.