Compare towns
Lisbon vs Ogunquit vs Bar Harbor vs Bowdoin
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 kids (22.2% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Lisbon | Ogunquit | Bar Harbor | Bowdoin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 9,750Highest |
1,379Lowest |
5,244 |
3,188 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
44.3±10 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$292,800±$71k about the ME average |
| 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 |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.4%±14.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 74.8% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973Lowest 4 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 29 min 17% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
| Work from home | 18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #60 of 133 in ME | — | #2 of 133 in ME | #28 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Lisbon Public Schools | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 75/MSAD 75 |
| 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 | 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.