Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Ogunquit vs Wells vs Cape Elizabeth
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 most renters (25.5% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Wells has the most affordable homes ($485k median).
Cape Elizabeth has the most kids (26% 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 | Wells | Cape Elizabeth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,244 |
1,379Lowest |
11,713Highest |
9,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+18% ME: +2.6% |
+5.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
53.6±3.8 20% above ME |
47.4±3.3Lowest 6% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
26%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Cape Elizabeth and Wells 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%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.7%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.3% ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
74.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$114,259±$56k 53% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$145,821±$8kHighest 95% above ME |
| Cape Elizabeth 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 82% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME |
$731,600±$53k 147% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
— | $1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$2,185±$275Highest 92% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 41% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$7,637Highest 152% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.2%±19.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Wells 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.2% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
90.1% ME: 74.3% |
88% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1967Lowest 10 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
31.9%±6.6 ME: 15.9% |
| 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 | — | #22 of 133 in ME | #1 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Cape Elizabeth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — | Wells High School | Cape Elizabeth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
— | 11.4Highest |
10.5 |
| 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.