Compare towns
Bath vs Calais vs Middlesex 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 the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Calais has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3.4%).
Middlesex has the most people working from home (28.4%).
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 | Calais | Middlesex | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,713Lowest |
1,943 |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.4%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
42±8.6Lowest 8% above U.S. |
44.4±3.9 14% 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% |
22.5%±5.4Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.3%±3.1 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Calais and Middlesex are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
21.6%±5.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.6%±3.7Lowest 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
55.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
54.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.4%±3.4Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Calais 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±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$100,625±$27k 25% above U.S. |
$109,632±$13kHighest 36% above U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Middlesex and Calais are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$390,300±$36kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$376,300±$40k 13% above U.S. |
$245,800±$38kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Calais and Middlesex 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. |
$1,408±$392Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,333±$359 6% below U.S. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Calais and Middlesex 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. |
$6,586Highest 111% above U.S. |
$6,483 108% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
49%±38.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±15.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
8.8% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
92.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
96.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1986Highest 6 yrs newer than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
31 minHighest 18% above U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
23.4%±7.1 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.4%±10.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Middlesex and Calais 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 | — | — | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Washington Central Unified Union School District #92 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.