What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).

Pownal has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.2%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bar Harbor	Pownal
People
Population	5,244Highest	1,696Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+6.2%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME	47.2±8.4Lowest 5% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%	24.2%±4.7Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4%	23.5%±2.6Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bar Harbor and Pownal 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%	49%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME	$104,333±$14kHighest 40% above ME
	Pownal and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME	$436,800±$32kLowest 47% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average	$981±$636Lowest 14% below ME
	Bar Harbor and Pownal are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 41% above ME	$5,212Highest 72% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	78.9%±22.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	Pownal 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%	5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%	89.4%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME	1971Lowest 6 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 20% below ME	30 minHighest 22% above ME
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9%	23.9%±5.4Highest ME: 15.9%
	Pownal and Bar Harbor 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	—
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	RSU 05
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

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.