Compare towns
Franklin vs Bar Harbor vs Hancock
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
Bordering FranklinSullivan
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
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 | Franklin | Bar Harbor | Hancock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,628Lowest |
5,244Highest |
2,518 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3 ME: 18.1% |
| Franklin and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.6%±3.5 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 28.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±2.6 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $65,455±$16kLowest 12% below ME |
$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$59kLowest 17% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$276,800±$51k 7% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $888±$306Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,231 27% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 36.7%±27.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Hancock and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
8.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 18% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.2%±5.5 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Franklin 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 | — | #2 of 133 in ME | #117 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | Hancock Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.