Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Readfield vs Wayne
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 expensive homes ($538k median).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Wayne has the oldest population (median age 55.6).
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 | Readfield | Wayne |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
2,651 |
1,101Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor 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% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor 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% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
$362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
$983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
| Readfield and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
$3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Readfield 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
7.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
30 minHighest 24% above ME |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 38 | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.