Town · Maine
Harpswell, Maine
Harpswell, town, in Cumberland County, Maine. Harpswell had 5,102 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 1.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 5,031 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,046 (±34). GEOID 2300531390.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,102
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 5,031 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,046 ±34
Median household income
$96,250
±$14,598 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$609,700
±$59,710 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$1,348
±$53 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Harpswell and what county is it in?
Harpswell is a town in Cumberland County, Maine. It covers 24.1 square miles of land, 209 residents per square mile in 2020.
Harpswell is in the Portland-South Portland, ME metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Harpswell, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,102 people lived in Harpswell on July 1, 2025, up 1.6% since 2020, slower than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 5,031 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,046 (±34).
| Measure | Harpswell | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,046±34 | 308,827 | +148 |
| Households | 2,598±178 | 132,168 | +345 |
| Average household size | 1.94±0.13 | 2.26 | −0.22 |
| Housing units | 4,286±223 | 153,286 | no clear change |
Harpswell's population since 2000
From 5,239 in 2000 to 5,102 in 2025: down 2.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Harpswell as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Harpswell?
The median resident of Harpswell is 62.0 years old; 8.8% are under 18 and 38.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 3.2%. 2.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Harpswell | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 62.0±1.5 | 42.2 | +5.0 |
| Under 18 years | 8.8%±1.7 pts | 18.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 38.6%±4.1 pts | 20.4% | – |
| Male | 47.4%±3.5 pts | 48.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.6%±0.7 pts | 2.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.9%±3.2 pts | 85.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±0.8 pts | 2.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.2%±2.4 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.9%±1.5 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.0%±1.5 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.3%±2.9 pts | 6.3% | – |
| With a disability | 12.2%±4.3 pts | 11.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.1%±2.6 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.0%±1.8 pts | 96.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 52.9%±5.8 pts | 53.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 26.3%±4.7 pts | 21.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 97.0%±2.3 pts | 89.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.3%±2.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Harpswell earn?
Half of Harpswell's 2,598 households earn less than $96,250 a year (±$14,598), against $95,677 in Cumberland County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $100,821 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 5.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Harpswell | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $96,250±$14,598 | $95,677 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $133,914±$15,753 | $128,060 | – |
| Per capita income | $70,110±$7,862 | $55,739 | +$10,805 |
| People below the poverty line | 5.6%±2.8 pts | 7.3% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 5.8%±13.3 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.8%±0.7 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.5%±1.2 pts | 96.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.8%±2.6 pts | 92.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Harpswell?
Owners occupy 83.3% of Harpswell's occupied homes and renters 16.7%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $609,700 by its owner (±$59,710). The median renter pays $1,348 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Harpswell | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $609,700±$59,710 | $451,200 | +$183,018 |
| Median gross rent | $1,348±$53 | $1,589 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 24.9%±18.7 pts | 39.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,948±$235 | $2,186 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.3%±7.6 pts | 69.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.7%±7.6 pts | 30.2% | – |
| Housing units | 4,286±223 | 153,286 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.3%±0.5 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.6%±7.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 91.3%±3.2 pts | 63.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.6%±2.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.1%±1.5 pts | 2.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.4%±2.0 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 20.2%±4.5 pts | 23.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.9%±1.5 pts | 6.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Harpswell building?
Builders took permits for 22 new housing units in Harpswell in 2025 (22 in single-family houses), 4.3 per 1,000 residents against 4.9 across Maine.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Harpswell work and get to work?
66.6% of Harpswell's workers drive alone and 20.7% work from home. The average trip to work takes 29.6 minutes.
| Measure | Harpswell | Cumberland County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 57.8%±5.1 pts | 67.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.2%±1.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 66.6%±8.5 pts | 63.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.7%±4.8 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±1.0 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.6%±0.6 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 20.7%±6.0 pts | 21.8% | +7.8 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 29.6 min±3.9 | 23.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Harpswell?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Harpswell, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $93,500 (Tract 171.02) to $98,929 (Tract 171.01).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 171.02Cumberland County | 2,893 | $93,500 |
| Tract 171.01Cumberland County | 2,153 | $98,929 |
| Tract 9900Cumberland County | 0 | not published |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Harpswell) · Census block assignment files
How does Harpswell compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Harpswell is the 2,266th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 46th-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Harpswell ranks 58th of 349 places in Maine with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 46th | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 192nd | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 120th | 353 |
| Median household income | 58th | 349 |
| Per capita income | 12th | 353 |
| Median home value | 15th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 63rd | 301 |
| Poverty rate | 245th | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29th | 352 |
| Median age | 7th | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 149th | 353 |
| Work from home | 68th | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 102nd | 352 |
Harpswell's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Harpswell with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Harpswell?
18 of the 57 figures for Harpswell on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Harpswell are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.