What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

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	Wells
People
Population	5,244Lowest	11,713Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+18%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME
	Wells 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 ME: 18.1%	18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%	31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%
	Wells 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 ME: 36.2%	43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME	$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME
	Wells 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 82% above ME	$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average	$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Highest 41% above ME	$3,215Lowest 6% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4%
	Wells 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 ME: 10.7%	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 20% below ME	28 minHighest 12% above ME
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%	17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bar Harbor and Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Wells-Ogunquit CSD
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Wells High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	None yet	None yet

ME 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.