Compare towns
Sullivan vs Bar Harbor vs Franklin
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Sullivan has the most homeowners (85.2%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Franklin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.7%).
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 | Sullivan | Bar Harbor | Franklin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,246Lowest |
5,244Highest |
1,628 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.4% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.7%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 47.1±15 5% above ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
46±9.3Lowest about the ME average |
| Bar Harbor and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18%±5.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
| Sullivan and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.5%±2.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
25.6%±3.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Franklin 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+ | 26%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
28.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.1%±4 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Sullivan are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $59,643±$14kLowest 20% below ME |
$77,180±$26kHighest 3% above ME |
$65,455±$16k 12% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$33kLowest 25% below ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$245,800±$59k 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $883±$114Lowest 22% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$888±$306 22% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,228Lowest 27% below ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$2,231 27% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 34.9%±23.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
36.7%±27.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 13.6% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
15.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
76.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981Lowest 4 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
| Work from home | 12.6%±7.9 ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
12.2%±5.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Sullivan 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 | — | #2 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 24 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — |
| High school in town | Sumner Memorial High School | Mt Desert Island High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.5Highest |
8.2Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.