Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Upton vs Mount Desert
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%).
Upton has the most kids (23.2% under 18).
Mount Desert has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Upton | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,379Lowest |
8,189Highest |
1,671 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Mount Desert 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Ogunquit and Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% 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% |
2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
| Upton and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41k 73% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 22% below U.S. |
— | $948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
| 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 37% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Upton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #2 of 133 in ME | — | #46 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | Blackstone Valley | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | 11.2Highest |
— |
| 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.