Compare towns
Harpswell vs Eliot
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Harpswell has the most expensive homes ($610k median).
Eliot has the most kids (16.3% under 18).
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 | Harpswell | Eliot |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 5,046Lowest |
7,146Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +6.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
50.8±5.9Lowest 13% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Eliot and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $96,250±$15kLowest 29% above ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
| Eliot and Harpswell are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$498,900±$62kLowest 68% above ME |
| Harpswell and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,348±$53Lowest 18% above ME |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$4,549Highest 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 5.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 20% above ME |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell and Eliot 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 | — | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.