Southwest Harbor, Maine Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 566, Southwest Harbor's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Southwest Harbor is a small community located in Maine, within Hancock County. The total population is 566. It ranks as the 131st most populous out of 155 Census-designated places in Maine.

Age Demographics

The median age in Southwest Harbor is 48.4 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 44.8 years. 17.8% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Southwest Harbor is $33,958. This is 55% lower than the state median of $74,733. It is also 58% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.2%. This is 41% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.8%. The unemployment rate is 16.3%. This is 332% higher than the state rate of 3.8%. The median home value is $277,100. Housing costs are 7% lower than the state median of $296,600. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.2x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 25.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 66% lower than the state average of 74.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Southwest Harbor has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.8% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 2.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 2.2%.

Education

26.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 26% lower than the state rate of 36.2%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 98.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Southwest Harbor, Maine is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Maine state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 155 Census-designated places in Maine. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.