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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Harpswell, ME
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Harpswell profile


Living in Harpswell



Harpswell is a somewhat small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of Maine. With a population of 5,041 people and two associated neighborhoods, Harpswell is the 76th largest community in Maine.

Harpswell home prices are not only among the most expensive in Maine, but Harpswell real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 17.36% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Harpswell is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Harpswell’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

The town is relatively quiet, having a combination of lower population density and few of those groups of people who have a tendency to be noisy. For example, Harpswell has relatively fewer families with younger children, and/or college students. Combined, this makes Harpswell a pretty quiet place to live overall. If you like quiet, you will probably enjoy it here.

One of the nice things about Harpswell is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.

Harpswell is a small town, and as such doesn't have a public transit system that people use to get to and from their jobs every day.

If knowledge is power, Harpswell is a pretty powerful place. 53.92% of the adults in Harpswell have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

The per capita income in Harpswell in 2018 was $62,260, which is wealthy relative to Maine and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $249,040 for a family of four. However, Harpswell contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

The people who call Harpswell home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Harpswell residents report their race to be White, followed by Asian. Important ancestries of people in Harpswell include English, Irish, German, French, and French Canadian.

The most common language spoken in Harpswell is English. Other important languages spoken here include Polish and French.