Compare towns
Bowdoin vs Harpswell
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoin has the most kids (19.1% under 18).
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Bowdoin | Harpswell |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,188Lowest |
5,046Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.5%±2.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bowdoin and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $91,239±$13kLowest 22% above ME |
$96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
| Harpswell and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,348±$53 18% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,375Highest 11% above ME |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Harpswell and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 29% above ME |
30 minLowest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell and Bowdoin 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 | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.