Compare towns
Camden vs Kennebunk vs Mapleton 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1970).
Kennebunk has the most people working from home (36.6%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k 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 | Kennebunk | Mapleton | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,242 |
6,221Highest |
1,884Lowest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+10.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
54.3±7.2Highest 21% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±5.6 ME: 18.1% |
18.1%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Camden 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% |
30.9%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Camden and Kennebunk 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% |
52% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
$95,169±$21kHighest 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Kennebunk and Mapleton 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 |
$452,800±$17k 53% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% 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±$354 11% above ME |
$1,466±$261Highest 29% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
| Kennebunk and Camden 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 |
$4,771 57% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±13.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Kennebunk are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
11.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5% ME: 74.3% |
73.1%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 11% below ME |
23 min 8% below ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
36.6%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Kennebunk 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 | #11 of 133 in ME | #9 of 133 in ME | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | — | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | 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 | 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.