Compare towns
Bath vs Bethel vs Naples
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Bethel has the most people working from home (27.7%).
Naples has the highest household income ($78k).
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 | Bethel | Naples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
2,617Lowest |
3,985 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
50.2±6.4Highest 12% above ME |
49.8±6.8 11% above ME |
| Bethel and Naples 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% |
15.9%±4.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.6%±4 ME: 18.1% |
| Bethel and Naples 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% |
29.3%±6.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
23.3%±5.4Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bethel 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% |
41.3% ME: 36.2% |
37.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.7%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Bethel 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 |
$58,929±$23kLowest 21% below ME |
$78,188±$13kHighest 5% above ME |
| Naples 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±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$344,900±$37kHighest 16% above ME |
$340,100±$48k 15% above ME |
| Bethel and Naples are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$864±$43Lowest 24% below ME |
$1,941±$625Highest 70% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,835 7% below ME |
$2,784Lowest 8% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
21.3%±15.4Lowest ME: 48.4% |
59.9%±40.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Naples 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% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.9% ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1986 9 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
26 min 5% above ME |
38 minHighest 56% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
27.7%±8.1Highest ME: 15.9% |
26.7%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bethel and Naples 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 | #49 of 133 in ME | #118 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 44/MSAD 44 | RSU 61/MSAD 61 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Telstar High School | Lake Region High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.3Lowest |
11.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.