What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).

Williston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.2%).

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	Williston
People
Population	5,244Lowest	10,144Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S.	45.4±4.5Lowest 17% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Williston 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%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22%
	Williston and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%	21%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Bar Harbor and Williston 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%	54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.7%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bar Harbor and Williston 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.	$106,967±$12kHighest 32% above U.S.
	Williston 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.	$475,800±$40kLowest 43% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Williston 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.	$1,832±$130Highest 30% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.	$5,592Highest 79% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	46.9%±17.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Williston 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%	4.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	75.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	20 minHighest 25% below U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.3%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Williston 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	#11 of 70 in VT
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2	—
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.