What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).

Bar Harbor has the shortest commute (20 min average).

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	Wells	Bar Harbor
People
Population	11,713Highest	5,244Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+18%Highest ME: +2.6%	-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME	49.2±5.9Lowest 10% above ME
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1%	11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4%	25.1%±5Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Wells 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+	43.3%Lowest ME: 36.2%	68.3%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8%	10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME	$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,300±$23kLowest 64% above ME	$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME
	Bar Harbor and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME	$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,215Lowest 6% above ME	$4,279Highest 41% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	42.1%±19.6Highest ME: 48.4%	41.6%±17.6Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Wells and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%	10.1%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	90.1%Highest ME: 74.3%	74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME	1985Lowest 8 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minHighest 12% above ME	20 minLowest 20% below ME
Work from home	17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9%	21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9%
	Bar Harbor and Wells 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	#22 of 133 in ME	#2 of 133 in ME
School district	Wells-Ogunquit CSD	Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD
High school in town	Wells High School	Mt Desert Island High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.4Highest	8.2Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.