Compare towns
Southwest Harbor vs Pittston
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Southwest Harbor has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Pittston has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.8%).
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 | Southwest Harbor | Pittston |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 1,553Lowest |
3,093Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -0.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 48.9±9.3Highest 9% above ME |
41.4±5.9Lowest 8% below ME |
| Southwest Harbor and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 14.5%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
17.2%±7.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Pittston and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 26.7%±2.7Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±6.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Southwest Harbor and Pittston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
26.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 1.7%±1.7Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.4%±4.1Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Pittston and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $59,205±$21kLowest 21% below ME |
$86,614±$18kHighest 16% above ME |
| Pittston and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $428,500±$35kHighest 44% above ME |
$238,700±$66kLowest 20% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $959±$50Lowest 16% below ME |
$1,080±$593Highest 5% below ME |
| Pittston and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,479Highest 15% above ME |
$1,909Lowest 37% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.4%±18.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±34.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Pittston and Southwest Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 55.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Lowest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 16 minLowest 36% below ME |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
3.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Southwest Harbor and Pittston 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 | — | #123 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Southwest Harbor Public Schools | RSU 11/MSAD 11 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in History | 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.