What stands out worked out from the figures below

Needham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.1%).

Bar Harbor has the most affordable homes ($538k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Needham	Bar Harbor
People
Population	32,459Highest	5,244Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+11.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43.1±1.6Lowest 11% above U.S.	49.2±5.9Highest 26% above U.S.
	Bar Harbor and Needham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	27.5%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22%	11.9%±3.8Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	17.7%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2%	25.1%±5Highest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	81.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	68.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.4%±1.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$214,308±$13kHighest 165% above U.S.	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$1,188,500±$43kHighest 257% above U.S.	$538,400±$94kLowest 62% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$2,409±$183Highest 70% above U.S.	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	55.9%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%	41.6%±17.6Lowest U.S.: 51.1%
	Needham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1965Lowest 15 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 5% above U.S.	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.
Work from home	32.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±8.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Needham 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	#19 of 282 in MA	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	—	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD
High school 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

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.