What stands out worked out from the figures below

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

Beals has the most homeowners (83.9%).

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	Bath	Beals
People
Population	8,815Highest	498Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%	-12.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.4±3Lowest about the ME average	48±15.6Highest 7% above ME
	Beals and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.1%±6.5Highest ME: 18.1%
	Beals and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4%	30.1%±5.1Highest ME: 22.4%
	Beals 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%	37.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%	5.8%±5.5Highest ME: 5.8%
	Beals and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME	$64,063±$14kLowest 14% below ME
	Bath and Beals 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	$256,700±$45kLowest 13% below ME
	Bath and Beals are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME	$907±$378Lowest 20% below ME
	Bath and Beals 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	$2,580Lowest 15% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4%	7.4%±71.2Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bath and Beals 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%	10.8%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	83.9%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1974Highest 3 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the ME average	21 minLowest 17% below ME
Work from home	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%	17.6%±10.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bath and Beals 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	—
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	Beals Public Schools
High school in town	Morse High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8	—
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.