Compare towns
Lamoine vs Bow vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lamoine has the most affordable homes ($325k median).
Bow has the highest household income ($173k).
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 | Lamoine | Bow | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,782Lowest |
8,335Highest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 49.6±7.3Highest 28% above U.S. |
41.5±2Lowest 7% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
| 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 U.S.: 22% |
25%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lamoine and Bar Harbor 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
60.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.6%±1.9 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $88,542±$15k 10% above U.S. |
$172,857±$16kHighest 114% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $324,800±$43kLowest about the U.S. average |
$506,500±$34k 52% above U.S. |
$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$158 17% below U.S. |
$1,539±$178Highest 9% above U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,303Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$9,584Highest 207% above U.S. |
$4,279 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.3%±16.4Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
39%±13.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bar Harbor and Bow are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.9% U.S.: 12.5% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 17% below U.S. |
27 minHighest about the U.S. average |
20 minLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 21.4%±5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.7%±4.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bow and Bar Harbor 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 | — | #26 of 120 in NH | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lamoine Public Schools | Bow School District | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Bow High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.8Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.