Compare towns
Bath vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Appleton has the oldest population (median age 49.2).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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.
| Measure | Bath | Appleton | Mapleton | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2% ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
49.2±7.4Highest 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Mapleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,104±$82Highest 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.