Compare towns
Bath vs Bennington vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Bennington has the most kids (17.7% under 18).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Bennington | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
15,249Highest |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.7% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
44.7±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Rockland 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 U.S.: 22% |
17.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Bennington 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockland 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
36.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.8%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bennington 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 14% below U.S. |
$59,446±$7k 26% below U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Bath and Bennington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$213,300±$15kLowest 36% below U.S. |
$245,800±$38k 26% below U.S. |
| Bath and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,133±$63Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Bennington and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,513Highest 45% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
68.8%±14.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bennington and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
13.2%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
58.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
62% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1961Highest 19 yrs older than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
17 min 35% below U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
15.1%±4.4Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockland and Bath 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 | #58 of 70 in VT | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Southwest Tech · Southwest Vermont Union Elementary School District #87 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Mt. Anthony Senior Union High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.7 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.