Compare towns
Cumberland vs Epping vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Cumberland has the highest household income ($174k).
Epping has the most affordable homes ($437k 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 | Cumberland | Epping | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,647Highest |
7,430 |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+11.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.1±3.5 16% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.7%±4.8 U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bar Harbor and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 72.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±3.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $173,894±$20kHighest 115% above U.S. |
$104,220±$7k 29% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$436,900±$35kLowest 31% above U.S. |
$538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
| Cumberland and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $2,143±$759Highest 52% above U.S. |
$1,742±$576 23% above U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Cumberland and Epping are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 128% above U.S. |
$6,936 122% above U.S. |
$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
67.8%±25.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epping and Cumberland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
86.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
32 minHighest 22% above U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
24%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Epping 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 | #25 of 133 in ME | #77 of 120 in NH | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | Epping School District | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Greely High School | Epping High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
9.3 |
8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.