Compare towns
Lamoine vs Brewer 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%).
Brewer has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
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 | Brewer | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,782Lowest |
9,652Highest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.6±7.3Highest 11% above ME |
40.1±4.8Lowest 10% below 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% |
20.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Brewer and Lamoine are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.5%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.4%±3.6Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
| 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 ME: 36.2% |
35% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.3%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7.7%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Brewer 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 |
$66,613±$9kLowest 11% 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 |
$245,300±$21kLowest 17% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,174±$158Highest 3% above ME |
$1,086±$54Lowest 5% 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 |
$3,374 11% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 23.3%±16.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.7%±13.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
| Brewer and Bar Harbor 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% |
12.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
59.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
74.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1959Lowest 18 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 11% below ME |
17 minLowest 31% below ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 21.4%±5 ME: 15.9% |
6.9%±2.8Lowest 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 | — | #32 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lamoine Public Schools | Brewer Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Brewer High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.0Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| 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.