Compare towns
Camden vs Ogunquit vs Hope 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 renters (26.5% rent).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Hope has the most affordable homes ($373k 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 | Ogunquit | Hope | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,242 |
1,379Lowest |
1,748 |
5,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+10.5% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 52.2±6.5 17% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Hope and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 38%±6.5 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Camden 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% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
47.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.7%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $82,344±$15k 10% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$86,766±$6k 16% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Hope 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$373,400±$33kLowest 26% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,269±$354Highest 11% above ME |
— | $1,219±$182 7% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Camden and Hope 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 |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$3,842Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 39.9%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
37.8%±38.7 ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Camden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 9% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 73.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
92.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970Lowest 7 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 11% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 min 19% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.3%±8.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.3%±10.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #11 of 133 in ME | — | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 28/MSAD 28 | — | Hope 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 Our Story | 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.