What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has the most expensive homes ($311k median).

Caribou has the most affordable homes ($134k median).

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	Caribou
People
Population	8,815Highest	7,382Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%	-9.7%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.4±3Lowest about the ME average	51.3±1.7Highest 15% above ME
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	16.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1%
	Caribou 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%	27.3%±4Highest ME: 22.4%
	Caribou 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%	28.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	2.4%±1.2Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bath and Caribou 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	$53,709±$9kLowest 28% below ME
	Bath and Caribou 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	$134,100±$31kLowest 55% below ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME	$757±$143Lowest 34% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Highest 27% above ME	$1,680Lowest 45% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4%	45.3%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bath and Caribou are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%	15.5%Highest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	72.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1960Highest 17 yrs older than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minHighest about the ME average	15 minLowest 40% below ME
Work from home	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%	12.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bath and Caribou 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	#59 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	RSU 39
High school in town	Morse High School	Caribou High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	14.2Lowest
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.