What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).

Winter Harbor has the most affordable homes ($211k median).

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	Winter Harbor
People
Population	5,244Highest	493Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Highest ME: +2.6%	-10.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME	64.6±5.5Highest 44% above ME
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Highest ME: 18.1%	5.7%±5.9Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bar Harbor and Winter 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%	47.3%±18.8Highest ME: 22.4%
	Winter Harbor 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%	31.9%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%	7.3%±8.5Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bar Harbor and Winter Harbor 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 3% above ME	$86,250±$38kHighest 15% above ME
	Winter Harbor 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	$210,500±$43kLowest 29% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average	$818±$433Lowest 28% below ME
	Bar Harbor and Winter 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	$1,422Lowest 53% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%	66.7%±37.2Highest ME: 48.4%
	Winter Harbor 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%	3.9%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%	80.2%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME	1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 20% below ME	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%	5.2%±6.2Lowest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#2 of 133 in ME	—
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	—
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	—
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.