Compare towns
Bar Harbor vs Upton vs Freeport
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 shortest commute (20 min average).
Upton has the highest household income ($156k).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
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 | Upton | Freeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,244Lowest |
8,189 |
8,802Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S. |
46.4±4.8Lowest 19% above U.S. |
48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Freeport 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% |
19.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Upton and Freeport 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% |
20.7%±4.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Freeport 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% |
53.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
59.6% 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% |
5%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
$155,508±$33kHighest 93% above U.S. |
$107,326±$19k 33% above U.S. |
| Upton and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
$576,700±$41kHighest 73% above U.S. |
$508,400±$76kLowest 53% 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±$351 22% below U.S. |
$948±$599Lowest 33% below U.S. |
$1,439±$123Highest about the U.S. average |
| Freeport 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. |
$8,376Highest 169% above U.S. |
$5,042 62% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
52.8%±31 U.S.: 51.1% |
62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Upton 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% |
8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
77.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1981Lowest 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
24 min 11% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±5.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.2%±5.8Lowest 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 | #4 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical · Mendon-Upton | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Blackstone Valley | Freeport High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 8.2Lowest |
11.2 |
12.2Highest |
| 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.