Town · Maine
Southwest Harbor, Maine
Southwest Harbor, town, in Hancock County, Maine. Southwest Harbor had 1,873 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.0% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,756 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,553 (±330). GEOID 2300972865.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,873
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,756 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,553 ±330
Median household income
$59,205
±$21,446 (90% margin)
Maine: $74,733
Median home value
$428,500
±$35,387 (90% margin)
Maine: $296,600
Median gross rent
$959
±$50 (90% margin)
Maine: $1,139
Where is Southwest Harbor and what county is it in?
Southwest Harbor is a town in Hancock County, Maine. It covers 13.5 square miles of land, 130 residents per square mile in 2020.
One place lies inside Southwest Harbor: Southwest Harbor (CDP, 740 in 2020).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Southwest Harbor, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,873 people lived in Southwest Harbor on July 1, 2025, up 7.0% since 2020, faster than Maine (+3.8%). The 2020 Census counted 1,756 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,553 (±330).
| Measure | Southwest Harbor | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,553±330 | 56,460 | no clear change |
| Households | 731±104 | 25,572 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.07±0.29 | 2.14 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,450±135 | 40,765 | no clear change |
Southwest Harbor's population since 2000
From 1,966 in 2000 to 1,873 in 2025: down 4.7%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Southwest Harbor 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 Southwest Harbor?
The median resident of Southwest Harbor is 48.9 years old; 14.5% are under 18 and 26.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.3%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 4.8%.
| Measure | Southwest Harbor | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.9±9.3 | 49.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.5%±5.9 pts | 16.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 26.7%±7.3 pts | 26.6% | – |
| Male | 46.4%±4.9 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.1%±0.3 pts | 1.9% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.3%±3.4 pts | 92.6% | −5.8 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.9%±1.2 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.8 pts | 1.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±1.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.8%±2.7 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.8%±1.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.0%±1.3 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.1%±1.3 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.7%±3.3 pts | 8.0% | – |
| With a disability | 17.0%±5.6 pts | 15.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.8%±6.2 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.8%±3.0 pts | 95.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 35.3%±7.7 pts | 40.1% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.8%±3.4 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 92.7%±4.5 pts | 89.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7%±1.2 pts | 2.7% | – |
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 Southwest Harbor earn?
Half of Southwest Harbor's 731 households earn less than $59,205 a year (±$21,446), against $72,744 in Hancock County and $74,733 in Maine. In 2015-2019 it was $68,940 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 9.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Southwest Harbor | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,205±$21,446 | $72,744 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $95,854±$23,413 | $97,122 | – |
| Per capita income | $45,995±$10,587 | $44,241 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 9.3%±4.3 pts | 9.9% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.7%±4.6 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 9.3%±6.1 pts | 8.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 84.4%±8.6 pts | 93.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.0%±8.7 pts | 91.2% | – |
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 Southwest Harbor?
Owners occupy 55.7% of Southwest Harbor's occupied homes and renters 44.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $428,500 by its owner (±$35,387). The median renter pays $959 a month including utilities, and 40.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Southwest Harbor | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $428,500±$35,387 | $310,400 | +$69,014 |
| Median gross rent | $959±$50 | $1,061 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 40.1%±18.4 pts | 39.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,828±$534 | $1,673 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 55.7%±9.8 pts | 78.5% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 44.3%±9.8 pts | 21.5% | – |
| Housing units | 1,450±135 | 40,765 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7%±1.0 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 13.8%±9.8 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 71.0%±7.7 pts | 80.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 6.5%±3.4 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0%±2.0 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.1%±2.4 pts | 8.7% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 19.0%±6.2 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.4%±5.5 pts | 6.2% | – |
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 Southwest Harbor building?
Builders took permits for 24 new housing units in Southwest Harbor in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 12.8 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 Southwest Harbor work and get to work?
72.0% of Southwest Harbor's workers drive alone and 11.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 15.7 minutes.
| Measure | Southwest Harbor | Hancock County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.3%±7.2 pts | 60.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0%±5.3 pts | 4.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 72.0%±10.9 pts | 68.2% | – |
| Carpooled | 9.0%±4.8 pts | 11.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0%±3.2 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Walked | 3.2%±3.5 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.1%±6.4 pts | 13.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 15.7 min±3.4 | 25.4 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 Southwest Harbor?
1 census tract lies mostly in Southwest Harbor, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9661Hancock County | 1,749 | $63,028 |
| Tract 9900Hancock 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 Southwest Harbor) · Census block assignment files
How does Southwest Harbor compare with other places in Maine?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Southwest Harbor is the 5,102nd-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 153rd-most populous of 454 in Maine.
Southwest Harbor ranks 266th 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 | 153rd | 454 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 33rd | 273 |
| Residents per square mile | 159th | 353 |
| Median household income | 266th | 349 |
| Per capita income | 102nd | 353 |
| Median home value | 44th | 352 |
| Median gross rent | 188th | 301 |
| Poverty rate | 170th | 277 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 127th | 352 |
| Median age | 134th | 353 |
| Owner-occupied share | 331st | 353 |
| Work from home | 202nd | 275 |
| Travel time to work | 321st | 352 |
Southwest Harbor's figures with every place in Maine (CSV)
Every place in Maine, sortable · Compare Southwest Harbor 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 Southwest Harbor?
17 of the 57 figures for Southwest Harbor 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 Southwest Harbor 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.