Compare towns
Brunswick vs Durham vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Brunswick has the youngest population (median age 40).
Durham has the highest household income ($99k).
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.
| Measure | Brunswick | Durham | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 22,336Highest |
4,262Lowest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 40±2.8Lowest 11% below ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.2%±2.2 ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.9%±2.2 ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 53.9% ME: 36.2% |
34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 13.3%±1.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Brunswick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $74,952±$6kLowest about the ME average |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
| Durham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $376,300±$15k 27% above ME |
$322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,469±$99Highest 29% above ME |
— | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Brunswick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,756Highest 57% above ME |
$3,781Lowest 25% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 56.4%±8.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Brunswick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.7% ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 71.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 5% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham 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 | #30 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Brunswick Public Schools · Brunswick-Region 10 | RSU 05 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Brunswick High School | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.9Highest |
— | 8.2Lowest |
| 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.