What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).

Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).

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	Sunapee
People
Population	5,244Highest	3,416Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	-0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S.	56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%	9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sunapee 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 U.S.: 35.7%	50.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee 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 4% below U.S.	$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S.
	Sunapee 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 62% above U.S.	$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.	$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S.
	Sunapee and Bar Harbor 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.	$4,400Highest 41% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee 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%	12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%	9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee 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	#14 of 120 in NH
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Sunapee School District
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Sunapee Sr. High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.9Highest
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.