Compare towns
South Berwick vs Ogunquit vs Bar Harbor vs Eliot
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 the most kids (26.7% under 18).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
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 | Ogunquit | Bar Harbor | Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,670Highest |
1,379Lowest |
5,244 |
7,146 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3.4% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Ogunquit and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
63.5% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
43.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
| Ogunquit and Eliot 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 |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$538,400±$94k 82% above ME |
$498,900±$62k 68% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,726±$83 52% above ME |
— | $1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$4,473 47% above ME |
$4,279Lowest 41% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6 ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.3% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1978Lowest 1 yr newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest 9% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
23 min 9% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #58 of 133 in ME | — | #2 of 133 in ME | #19 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | — | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Marshwood High School | — | Mt Desert Island High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.0Highest |
— | 8.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | 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.