Compare towns
Mapleton vs Bar Harbor vs Washburn
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mapleton has the highest household income ($92k).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Washburn has the most affordable homes ($113k 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 | Mapleton | Bar Harbor | Washburn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,884 |
5,244Highest |
1,355Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-9.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
48.2±7.7 8% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
21.7%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
24%±3.7 ME: 22.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Washburn are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.3% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.6%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,180±$26k 3% above ME |
$56,196±$6kLowest 25% below ME |
| Mapleton and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$112,900±$14kLowest 62% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $610±$277 46% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$482±$62Lowest 58% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $1,789 41% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$1,571Lowest 48% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
33.3%±24.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Washburn 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% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
12.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1977 same as ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1969Lowest 8 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 13% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
21 min 15% below ME |
| Work from home | 10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
9.7%±3.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Mapleton 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 | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 45/MSAD 45 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Washburn District High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2Lowest |
12.0Highest |
| 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.