Compare towns
Lamoine vs Beals 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
Lamoine has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.4%).
Beals has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
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 | Lamoine | Beals | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,782 |
498Lowest |
5,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±7.3Highest 11% above ME |
48±15.6Lowest 7% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
| Lamoine and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Beals and Lamoine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Beals and Lamoine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.6% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±5.5 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,542±$15kHighest 18% above ME |
$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
| Lamoine and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $324,800±$43k 10% above ME |
$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$158Highest 3% above ME |
$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
| Lamoine and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,303Lowest 24% below ME |
$2,580 15% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.3%±16.4 ME: 48.4% |
7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Lamoine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% ME: 74.3% |
83.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 11% below ME |
21 min 17% below ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Lamoine 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 | — | — | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lamoine Public Schools | Beals Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None 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 | 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.