Compare towns
South Berwick vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
South Berwick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).
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 | South Berwick | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| South Berwick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,300±$26kLowest 44% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,279Lowest 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| South Berwick and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and South Berwick 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 | #58 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
8.2Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.