What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Upton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).

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	Upton
People
Population	5,244Lowest	8,189Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+6.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S.	46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Upton 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%	23.2%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bar Harbor and Upton 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%	53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.4%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.	$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$538,400±$94kLowest 62% above U.S.	$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S.
	Upton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Highest 22% below U.S.	$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Upton 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.	$8,376Highest 169% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	52.8%±31Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Upton 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 U.S.: 12.5%	3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	35 minHighest 34% above U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Upton 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	#46 of 282 in MA
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Blackstone Valley
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.2Highest
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.