Compare towns
Mount Desert vs Stoneham 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 homeowners (84.8%).
Stoneham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
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 | Mount Desert | Stoneham | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,671Lowest |
23,355Highest |
5,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +4.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 54.9±8.2Highest 41% above U.S. |
42.2±2.2Lowest 8% 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% |
20.8%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Stoneham 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% |
20.4%±2.2Lowest 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% |
55.9%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% |
4.7%±1.4 U.S.: 6.4% |
10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $92,813±$9k 15% above U.S. |
$113,964±$10kHighest 41% above U.S. |
$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $522,100±$66kLowest 57% above U.S. |
$671,900±$26kHighest 102% above U.S. |
$538,400±$94k 62% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,341±$89 5% below U.S. |
$2,035±$142Highest 44% above U.S. |
$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,512Lowest 13% above U.S. |
$6,523Highest 109% above U.S. |
$4,279 37% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 33.9%±31.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.9%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.6%±17.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Stoneham 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% |
5.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
71%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
74.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1969 11 yrs older than U.S. |
1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S. |
1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 18 minLowest 32% below U.S. |
28 minHighest 5% above U.S. |
20 min 26% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.1%±9.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
24.6%±3.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.9%±8.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Stoneham 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 | — | #117 of 282 in MA | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Mount Desert Public Schools | Stoneham | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Stoneham High | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 10.7Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| 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.