Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Hampton Beach 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 most kids (14.1% under 18).
Hampton Beach has grown the fastest since 2010 (+14.2%).
Bar Harbor has the youngest population (median age 49.2).
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 | Hampton Beach | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
2,605 |
5,244Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2 41% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 14.1%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8 U.S.: 22% |
| Mount Desert and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.1%±4.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.7%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Hampton Beach and Mount Desert 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% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±4.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Mount Desert are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9kHighest 15% above U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Mount Desert and Hampton Beach 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. |
$508,900±$76kLowest 53% above U.S. |
$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±$89 5% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Hampton Beach and Mount Desert 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. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,279 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Hampton Beach 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%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969Lowest 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1971 9 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 4% below U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Hampton Beach and Bar Harbor 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 | Mount Desert Public Schools | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school 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.