What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).

Springfield has the most affordable homes ($192k median).

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	Springfield
People
Population	5,244Lowest	9,084Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S.	43.2±3.7Lowest 11% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	18.6%±3.4Highest U.S.: 22%
	Springfield and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	23.6%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bar Harbor and Springfield 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%	23.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.3%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kHighest 4% below U.S.	$66,571±$13kLowest 18% below U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S.	$192,400±$20kLowest 42% below U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Highest 22% below U.S.	$963±$100Lowest 32% below U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Springfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.	$4,807Highest 54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	49.6%±15.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Springfield 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	67.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	27 minHighest 3% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	15.1%±5.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bar Harbor and Springfield 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	#64 of 70 in VT
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	River Valley Technical Center · Springfield School District
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Springfield High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	14.3Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.