Compare towns
Freeport vs Ogunquit vs Boothbay 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 most kids (19.4% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Boothbay has the most affordable homes ($342k median).
Bar Harbor has the most renters (25.5% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Boothbay | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,802Highest |
1,379Lowest |
3,102 |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
56.8±3.9 27% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Boothbay 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% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Boothbay 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 |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
— | $1,147±$121 about the ME average |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #4 of 133 in ME | — | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | — | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | — | — | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
— | — | 8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.