Compare towns
Freeport vs Wells 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 highest household income ($107k).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,802 |
11,713Highest |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +10.9% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Wells and Bar Harbor 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% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Freeport 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% |
43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Freeport and Wells 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 |
$485,300±$23kLowest 64% 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 |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Freeport and Wells 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport and Wells 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% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 77.6% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Lowest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 4% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 05 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Freeport High School | Wells High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Highest |
11.4 |
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.