Compare towns
Freeport vs Lebanon vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Freeport has the most kids (19.4% under 18).
Lebanon has the most renters (48.8% rent).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k 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 | Freeport | Lebanon | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802 |
14,999Highest |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3 25% above U.S. |
38.9±3.1Lowest about the U.S. average |
49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S. |
| 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%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.6%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
21.4%±2.6Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.5%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
6.9%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,326±$19kHighest 33% above U.S. |
$98,147±$10k 22% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $508,400±$76k 53% above U.S. |
$385,400±$29kLowest 16% above U.S. |
$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S. |
| 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 about the U.S. average |
$1,744±$132Highest 23% above U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042 62% above U.S. |
$8,149Highest 161% above U.S. |
$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±7.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Freeport and Lebanon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
51.2%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980Lowest same as U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 11% below U.S. |
14 minLowest 47% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.8%±4.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Lebanon and Bar Harbor 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 | #29 of 120 in NH | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Lebanon School District | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | Lebanon High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.7 |
8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.