Compare towns
Freeport vs Vinalhaven 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).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 | Vinalhaven | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802Highest |
1,216Lowest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 59.6% ME: 36.2% |
45.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$72,963±$11kLowest about the ME average |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
| Freeport and Bar Harbor 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 |
$428,400±$44kLowest 44% 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±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
| Freeport and Bar Harbor 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 |
$3,598Lowest 19% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Vinalhaven 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% |
7.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1966Lowest 11 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 4% below ME |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Lowest 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 | — | #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 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.