What stands out worked out from the figures below

Sunapee has grown the fastest since 2010 (-0.7%).

Bar Harbor has the most people working from home (21.9%).

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	Sunapee	Bar Harbor
People
Population	3,416Lowest	5,244Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-0.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4%	-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S.	49.2±5.9Lowest 26% above U.S.
Kids under 18	9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	11.9%±3.8Highest U.S.: 22%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2%	25.1%±5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
	Sunapee 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+	50.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	68.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	10.8%±2.9Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$101,393±$20kHighest 26% above U.S.	$77,180±$26kLowest 4% below U.S.
	Sunapee and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$393,000±$51kLowest 18% above U.S.	$538,400±$94kHighest 62% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S.	$1,106±$351Lowest 22% below U.S.
	Sunapee and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,400Highest 41% above U.S.	$4,279Lowest 37% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	41.6%±17.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	10.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	75.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	74.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1985Highest 5 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	33 minHighest 24% above U.S.	20 minLowest 26% below U.S.
Work from home	9.5%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	21.9%±8.9Highest U.S.: 15.1%
	Bar Harbor and Sunapee 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	#14 of 120 in NH	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	Sunapee School District	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD
High school in town	Sunapee Sr. High School	Mt Desert Island High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.9Highest	8.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.