Population 5,056 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Bar Harbor
Household size in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.07 | 2.37 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.06 | 2.36 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.14 | 2.35 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.93 | 2.30 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.13 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Bar Harbor is a place of small households, averaging 1.93 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.07, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Maine city with 5,000+ people has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.9 | 42.1 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.0 | 43.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.7 | 45.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 50.3 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +2.9 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 50.3, Bar Harbor is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 45.9, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 9.4% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.3% | 8.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.3% of households in Bar Harbor, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Bar Harbor has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Maine cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Bar Harbor
Renters in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3% | 26.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 38.1% | 28.6% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.7% | 27.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.5% | 25.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −8.8 pts | −1.2 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Bar Harbor own their homes; 28.5% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly half of owners (47.4%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the east; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has fallen 8.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4% | 17.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.6% | 18.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 37.8% | 19.0% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.6% | 16.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Bar Harbor: 36.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 2.2 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1961 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1963 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1973 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +13 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Bar Harbor run a bit older than the national norm, with a median build year of 1975 against 1980. The median year built has moved up from 1961 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the south has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $788 | $766 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $906 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,037 | $919 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,161 | $1,230 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$374 | +$464 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Bar Harbor costs $1,161 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $374 a month since 2006–10, up 47%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 24.6% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the north; the highest are in the south.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Bar Harbor
Bachelor's degrees in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 44.3% | 27.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.0% | 28.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.1% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 67.6% | 36.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +23.3 pts | +9.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Bar Harbor is highly educated: about two-thirds of adults 25 and older (67.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 23.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 56 Maine cities with 5,000+ people, only five have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.8% | 89.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.2% | 91.4% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.7% | 92.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 94.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +4.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Bar Harbor: 98.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 2.8 points, as it has nationally. Bar Harbor has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five Maine cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Bar Harbor
| Period | Bar Harbor | Maine | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.5% | 6.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.3% | 7.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.2% | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 3.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.2%, unemployment in Bar Harbor is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Maine overall (3.9%). Unemployment has risen 1.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Bar Harbor compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bar Harbor | 1.93 | 50.3 | 5.3% | 28.5% | 36.6% | 1975 | $1,161 | 67.6% | 98.6% | 5.2% |
| Frenchboro | 2.30 | 47.7 | 4.5% | 17.9% | 41.4% | 1983 | $1,195 | 35.4% | 95.1% | 5.6% |
| Salsbury Cove | 2.16 | 44.9 | 5.0% | 3.0% | 20.2% | 1997 | $1,106 | 71.6% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Mount Desert | 2.13 | 49.6 | 2.8% | 11.4% | 53.5% | 1979 | $1,256 | 59.9% | 100.0% | 2.1% |
| Seal Harbor | 1.95 | 56.4 | 2.6% | 29.7% | 65.1% | 1958 | $1,328 | 69.3% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Indian Point | 2.16 | 48.2 | 2.9% | 9.2% | 51.9% | 1982 | $1,251 | 58.3% | 100.0% | 2.5% |
| Lamoine | 2.20 | 49.6 | 7.3% | 21.6% | 26.0% | 1983 | $1,174 | 34.9% | 96.7% | 8.7% |
| Southwest Harbor | 1.98 | 53.3 | 6.8% | 46.3% | 53.7% | 1979 | $989 | 34.2% | 97.9% | 5.8% |
| Marlboro | 2.20 | 49.6 | 7.3% | 21.6% | 26.0% | 1983 | $1,174 | 34.9% | 96.7% | 8.7% |
| Winter Harbor | 1.89 | 63.3 | 2.0% | 20.1% | 45.0% | 1974 | $870 | 31.0% | 93.8% | 1.2% |
| Islesford | 2.41 | 43.9 | 12.7% | 30.6% | 58.2% | 1982 | $1,250 | 44.1% | 94.7% | 1.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Springfield, KY · Charleston, MO · Chapmanville, WV · Chandler, IN · Groesbeck, TX · Mondovi, WI · Sparta, NC · Molino, FL · Spencer, TN · Sperry, OK
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Bar Harbor. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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