Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Epsom 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
Mount Desert has the oldest population (median age 54.9).
Epsom has the most affordable homes ($338k median).
Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).
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 | Mount Desert | Epsom | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
4,939 |
5,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
47.1±3.4Lowest 21% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9 26% above U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Epsom and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Mount Desert 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+ | 64.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
40.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$97,941±$13kHighest 21% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Epsom and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66k 57% above U.S. |
$338,400±$19kLowest about the U.S. average |
$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S. |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89Highest 5% below U.S. |
$1,212±$437 14% below U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Epsom are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$6,210Highest 99% above U.S. |
$4,279 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
71.2%±19.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Epsom and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
87.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1985 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
13.1%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert 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 | — | #69 of 120 in NH | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Epsom School District | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 8.2 |
| 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.