What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hooksett has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.6%).

Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hooksett	Bar Harbor
People
Population	15,057Highest	5,244Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	41.3±1.5Lowest 6% above U.S.	49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	17.4%±2.9Highest U.S.: 22%	11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
	Hooksett and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	17.3%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	39.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	8.9%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bar Harbor and Hooksett are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,962±$11kHighest 46% above U.S.	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$407,000±$26kLowest 22% above U.S.	$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,661±$206Highest 18% above U.S.	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Hooksett and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$6,554Highest 110% above U.S.	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	41.7%±16.4Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Hooksett and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	80.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S.	1985Lowest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 minHighest about the U.S. average	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.
Work from home	13.4%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bar Harbor and Hooksett 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	#30 of 120 in NH	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	Hooksett School District	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD
High school in town	None in town	Mt Desert Island High School
Students per teacherat that high school	—	8.2
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.