Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Plainfield vs Cape Elizabeth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Plainfield has the youngest population (median age 38.9).
Cape Elizabeth has the highest household income ($146k).
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 | Plainfield | Cape Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,379Lowest |
2,522 |
9,606Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
38.9±6.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
47.4±3.3 22% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.4%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
26%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
19.8%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.7%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
46.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
74.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$122,656±$13k 52% above U.S. |
$145,821±$8kHighest 81% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$442,400±$47kLowest 33% above U.S. |
$731,600±$53k 120% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— | $1,674±$181 18% above U.S. |
$2,185±$275Highest 55% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$7,904Highest 153% above U.S. |
$7,637 145% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
31.8%±23.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
30.2%±19.9 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bar Harbor and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
87.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
88% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
22 min 17% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.1%±8.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
31.9%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and Cape Elizabeth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | #19 of 120 in NH | #1 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | Plainfield School District | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | None in town | Cape Elizabeth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | — | 10.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.