Compare towns
Cumberland vs Williston 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).
Williston has the most affordable homes ($476k median).
Bar Harbor has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Williston | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,647 |
10,144Highest |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +17.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 41.9±4Lowest 8% above U.S. |
45.4±4.5 17% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Williston 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% |
20.5%±5.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Cumberland and Williston 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% |
21%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bar Harbor and Williston 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% |
54.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.7%±2.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Williston 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. |
$106,967±$12k 32% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $616,800±$42kHighest 85% above U.S. |
$475,800±$40kLowest 43% 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. |
$1,832±$130 30% above U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Cumberland and Williston 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. |
$5,592 79% above U.S. |
$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47.1%±31.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
46.9%±17.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Cumberland and Williston 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% |
4.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1993Highest 13 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 8% below U.S. |
20 min 25% below U.S. |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 25.3%±7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.3%±7.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Cumberland and Williston 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 | #11 of 70 in VT | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 51/MSAD 51 | Champlain Valley Unified Union School District #56 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Greely High School | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.5Highest |
— | 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.