What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).

Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bangor	Bath
People
Population	31,938Highest	8,815Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME	45.4±3Highest about the ME average
Kids under 18	16.7%±1.7Highest ME: 18.1%	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4%	25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Bath and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	35.1%Lowest ME: 36.2%	42.5%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8%	5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME	$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME
	Bath and Bangor are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME	$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,055±$43Highest 7% below ME	$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME
	Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,076Lowest about the ME average	$3,847Highest 27% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4%	51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bangor and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	17.9%Highest ME: 10.7%	12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3%	64.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1954Highest 23 yrs older than ME	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	17 minLowest 33% below ME	24 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9%	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#37 of 133 in ME	#31 of 133 in ME
School district	Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4	RSU 01 - LKRSU
High school in town	Bangor High School	Morse High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.3Lowest	14.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.