Compare towns
Durham vs Bar Harbor vs Winterport
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Durham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Winterport has the most affordable homes ($283k median).
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 | Winterport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,262 |
5,244Highest |
3,850Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.6% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
42.3±5.5Lowest 6% 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%±4.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±5.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Durham and Winterport 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% |
19%±4.8 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Winterport 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% |
39.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±3.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
7.5%±3.7 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Winterport 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 |
$98,333±$21k 32% above ME |
| Durham and Winterport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$283,000±$43kLowest 5% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,106±$351 about the ME average |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,781 25% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$2,646Lowest 13% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
26.8%±25.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Winterport 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% |
5.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.4%±6Lowest 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 | #53 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 22 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.