Compare towns
Lisbon vs Bar Harbor vs Durham
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Durham has the most homeowners (95.4%).
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 | Lisbon | Bar Harbor | Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
5,244 |
4,262Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
42.6±5.9 5% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.7%±4.6 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
16.6%±3.6 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±3.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$99,181±$5kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$322,200±$34k 9% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
— |
| Bar Harbor and Lisbon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,324Lowest 9% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,781 25% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
25%±40.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Lisbon and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.3% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
95.4%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1986Highest 9 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 29 minHighest 17% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.9%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Durham 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 | #60 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME | #14 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 05 |
| High school in town | Lisbon High School | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 15.8Highest |
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.