Compare towns
Wayne vs Bar Harbor vs Readfield
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 oldest population (median age 55.6).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
Readfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
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 | Readfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,101Lowest |
5,244Highest |
2,651 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
0%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 55.6±5.3Highest 24% above ME |
49.2±5.9 10% above ME |
48.1±7.6Lowest 7% above ME |
| Wayne and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 13.4%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.7%±3.9Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Readfield and Wayne are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 29.2%±3.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5 ME: 22.4% |
22.3%±4.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wayne 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+ | 48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.5%±2.8 ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.3%±2Lowest 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 |
$86,504±$8k 16% above ME |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 |
$326,400±$20kLowest 10% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $983±$554Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,106±$351 about the ME average |
$1,125±$844Highest about the ME average |
| Readfield and Bar Harbor 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 |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
$3,392 12% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 25%±52.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
31.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Readfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.9% ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
89.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 30 minHighest 24% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
30 min 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 26.2%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
24.3%±14.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Wayne and Readfield 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 | #20 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 38 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD | RSU 38 |
| High school in town | None in town | Mt Desert Island High School | Maranacook Community High Sch |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 8.2Lowest |
11.5Highest |
| 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.