Compare towns
Bath vs Bar Harbor vs Woolwich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
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).
Woolwich has the highest household income ($102k).
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.
| Measure | Bath | Bar Harbor | Woolwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
5,244 |
3,158Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
| Woolwich and Bar Harbor 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% |
15%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Bath and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Woolwich and Bath 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% |
52.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$102,175±$26kHighest 37% above ME |
| Woolwich and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$254,500±$59kLowest 14% below 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 | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$2,433Lowest 20% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Woolwich and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2Lowest 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 | #92 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
8.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.