Compare towns
Camden vs Appleton 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
Camden has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Camden | Appleton | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 5,242 |
1,360Lowest |
5,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.2±6.5Highest 17% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
| Camden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±5.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Camden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 38%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 62.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $82,344±$15kHighest 10% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
| Camden and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $520,600±$70k 76% above ME |
$235,600±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,269±$354Highest 11% above ME |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
| Camden and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,832Highest 92% above ME |
$3,588Lowest 18% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 11% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Camden 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 | #11 of 133 in ME | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | Appleton Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.2 |
| 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.