Compare towns
Bath vs Bangor vs Union
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%).
Bangor has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Union has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
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 | Bangor | Union |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
31,938Highest |
2,663Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-3.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
41±1.3Lowest 8% below ME |
41.6±5.3 7% below ME |
| Bath and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±1.7 ME: 18.1% |
24.9%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
19.9%±1.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
21.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Union 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% |
35.1% ME: 36.2% |
34.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
10.4%±1.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$59,942±$7kLowest 20% below ME |
$80,724±$9kHighest 8% above ME |
| Union and Bath 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 |
$219,600±$10kLowest 26% below ME |
$267,600±$42k 10% below ME |
| Bath and Union are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,055±$43 7% below ME |
$1,179±$452Highest 4% above ME |
| Union and Bangor 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 |
$3,076Lowest about the ME average |
$3,276 8% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
51.5%±6.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.6%±19.8Lowest 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 | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
17.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
47.2%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
85.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1954 23 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
17 minLowest 33% below ME |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.1%±2.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
15.9%±5.3 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Union 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 | #37 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Bangor Public Schools · Bangor-Region 4 | RSU 40/MSAD 40 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Bangor High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
13.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.