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.

Telecommuters are a relatively large percentage of the workforce: 17.36% of people work from home. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce it is high relative to the nation. 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.

It is a fairly quiet town because there are relatively few of those groups of people who have a tendency to be noisy. (Children, for example, often can't help themselves from being noisy, and being parents ourselves, we know!) Harpswell has relatively few families with children living at home, and is quieter because of it. Renters and college students, for their own reasons, can also be noisy. Harpswell has few renters and college students. But the biggest reason it is quieter in Harpswell than in most places in America, is that there are just simply fewer people living here. If you think trees make good neighbors, Harpswell may be for you.

Harpswell is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Such areas are often places that visitors and locals go for waterfront activities or taking in the scenery.

Being a small town, Harpswell does not have a public transit system used by locals to get to and from work.

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 2022 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.