What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Wolfeboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.3%).

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	Wolfeboro
People
Population	5,244Lowest	6,571Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S.	57±1.8Highest 47% above U.S.
Kids under 18	11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%	13.7%±3.3Highest U.S.: 22%
	Wolfeboro 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 U.S.: 17.2%	34.6%±5.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%
	Wolfeboro 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%	45%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%	2.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.	$94,375±$22kHighest 17% above U.S.
	Wolfeboro 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±$94kLowest 62% above U.S.	$546,500±$60kHighest 64% above U.S.
	Wolfeboro 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.	$1,103±$76Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Wolfeboro 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.	$4,531Highest 45% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.6%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%	12%±11.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
Below poverty line	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	8.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	78.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.	1982Lowest 2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.	24 minHighest 10% below U.S.
Work from home	21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.9%±6.6Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Wolfeboro 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 120 in NH
School district	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD	Governor Wentworth Regional School District
High school in town	Mt Desert Island High School	Kingswood Regional High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.2Lowest	11.1Highest
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.