Compare towns
Durham vs Bar Harbor vs Gorham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has the most affordable homes ($322k median).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Gorham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.9%).
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 | Durham | Bar Harbor | Gorham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
5,244 |
18,300Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.6%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
44.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Gorham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5k 33% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$460,900±$26k 55% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
| Gorham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781Lowest 25% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
27 min 10% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham 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 | #14 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Gorham Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Gorham High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2Lowest |
12.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.