Compare towns
Freeport vs Gorham vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has the oldest housing (typical home built 1984).
Gorham has the youngest population (median age 39.4).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | Freeport | Gorham | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802 |
18,300Highest |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Gorham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| Freeport and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9 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 | $107,326±$19k 44% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Gorham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $508,400±$76k 71% above ME |
$460,900±$26kLowest 55% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Gorham and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,825 59% above ME |
$4,279Lowest 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
27 minHighest 10% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Gorham Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | Gorham High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.9Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| 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.