What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).

Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k 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	Bath	Bar Harbor
People
Population	8,815Highest	5,244Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.4±3Lowest about the ME average	49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1%	11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bath and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%	25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bath 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+	42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2%	68.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME	$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME	$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME	$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average
	Bar Harbor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 27% above ME	$4,279Highest 41% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4%	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bath and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Highest ME: 10.7%	10.1%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	74.5%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the ME average	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	19.3%±6Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Bar Harbor and Bath 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	#31 of 133 in ME	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD
High school in town	Morse High School	Mt Desert Island High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	8.2Lowest
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.