Compare towns
Cumberland vs Readfield 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
Cumberland has grown the fastest since 2010 (+17.5%).
Readfield has the most affordable homes ($326k 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 | Readfield | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,647Highest |
2,651Lowest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
0% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.9±4Lowest 6% below ME |
48.1±7.6 7% above ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Cumberland and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.8%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Readfield 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 ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $173,894±$20kHighest 133% above ME |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 108% above ME |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
| 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 88% above ME |
$1,125±$844 about the ME average |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Cumberland and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,116Highest 134% above ME |
$3,392Lowest 12% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Cumberland and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
5% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
89.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Cumberland and Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | RSU 38 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Greely High School | Maranacook Community High Sch | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5 |
11.5Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| 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.