Compare towns
Durham vs Bar Harbor vs Topsham
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 homeowners (95.4%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
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 | Topsham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262Lowest |
5,244 |
9,706Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9Lowest 5% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham 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% |
19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham 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% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
| Durham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34kLowest 9% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
| Topsham 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 |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$4,259 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980Lowest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest 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 | #66 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Mt Ararat High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2Lowest |
12.2Highest |
| 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.