Compare towns
Wayne vs Bar Harbor vs Islesboro
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Wayne has the most people working from home (26.2%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Islesboro has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
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 | Wayne | Bar Harbor | Islesboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101 |
5,244Highest |
636Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3 24% above ME |
49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME |
57±8.4Highest 27% above ME |
| Islesboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±6.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
40.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Islesboro and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 48.8% ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
47.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
0.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $93,194±$26kHighest 25% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
$88,438±$44k 18% above ME |
| Wayne and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $362,800±$29k 22% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
$288,800±$140kLowest about the ME average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554 14% below ME |
$1,106±$351Highest about the ME average |
$938±$252Lowest 18% below ME |
| Bar Harbor and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,289Lowest 8% above ME |
$4,279 41% above ME |
$4,300Highest 42% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
30.8%±85.4 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Islesboro are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1% ME: 10.7% |
15.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9% ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1974Lowest 3 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
20 min 20% below ME |
8 minLowest 69% below ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9 ME: 15.9% |
20.3%±8.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor 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 38 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | — |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2 |
— |
| 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.