Compare towns
Freeport vs Gray vs Mapleton 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Gray has the most homeowners (82.4%).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Gray | Mapleton | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,802Highest |
8,429 |
1,884Lowest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.5% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
43.4±4.5 3% below ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% 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% |
19%±4 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
19.3%±4 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest 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% |
44.8% ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±2.2 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$95,236±$8k 27% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Freeport and Gray 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 |
$363,700±$20k 23% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below 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±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,371±$89 20% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
| Freeport and Gray 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 |
$3,683 21% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
56.4%±24 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Gray 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% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1977Lowest same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
29 minHighest 16% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
12.3%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest 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 | #10 of 133 in ME | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | Gray-New Gloucester High School | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2 |
12.5Highest |
— | 8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.