Compare towns
Bremen vs Bar Harbor vs Arrowsic
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bremen has the most affordable homes ($425k median).
Bar Harbor has the most renters (25.5% rent).
Arrowsic has the most kids (22.4% under 18).
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 | Bremen | Bar Harbor | Arrowsic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 917 |
5,244Highest |
597Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +2.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
— |
| Median age | 52.1±8.2Highest 16% above ME |
49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
50.3±8.7 12% above ME |
| Bremen and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.6%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.4%±7.8Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Arrowsic and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 34.1%±9.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31.8%±11.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bremen and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 54.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
64.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.2%±2.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $100,000±$21kHighest 34% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$99,107±$27k 33% above ME |
| Bremen and Arrowsic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $425,300±$28kLowest 43% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$584,200±$150kHighest 97% above ME |
| Arrowsic 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±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,600±$412Highest 40% above ME |
| Arrowsic and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,829Lowest 7% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,521 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Bremen are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
16.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.6% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 13% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 22.7%±6.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.6%±9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bremen 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 | — |
| 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 Our Story | 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.