Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Sutton vs Mount Desert
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).
Sutton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.7%).
Mount Desert has the oldest population (median age 54.9).
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 | Sutton | Mount Desert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Highest |
2,239 |
1,671Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
48.1±4.1Lowest 24% above U.S. |
54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert 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 U.S.: 22% |
20.5%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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% |
44.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.9%±3.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Sutton 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. |
$130,313±$31kHighest 61% above U.S. |
$92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
| Sutton and Mount Desert 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. |
$362,600±$16kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
$1,656±$614Highest 17% above U.S. |
$1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
| Sutton and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,279 37% above U.S. |
$7,652Highest 145% above U.S. |
$3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
27.6%±47.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
33.9%±31.5 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
95.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 min 26% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 11% above U.S. |
18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.8%±5.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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 | Kearsarge Regional School District | Mount Desert Public Schools |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Kearsarge Regional High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
10.4Highest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.