Compare towns
Windham vs Bar Harbor
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Bar Harbor has the most expensive homes ($538k median).
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 | Windham | Bar Harbor |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 19,188Highest |
5,244Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
49.2±5.9Highest 10% above ME |
| Bar Harbor and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Kids under 18 | 19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.9%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.1%±5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 44.2%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
68.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
10.8%±2.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$77,180±$26kLowest 3% above ME |
| Windham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $388,900±$22kLowest 31% above ME |
$538,400±$94kHighest 82% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,106±$351Lowest about the ME average |
| Windham and Bar Harbor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,938Lowest 30% above ME |
$4,279Highest 41% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.6%±17.6Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Bar Harbor and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.1%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.5%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
1985 8 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 7% above ME |
20 minLowest 20% below ME |
| Work from home | 19%±4.1Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.9%±8.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bar Harbor and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #2 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 14 | Bar Harbor Public Schools · Mt Desert CSD |
| High school in town | Windham High School | Mt Desert Island High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.1Highest |
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.