Compare towns
Bath vs Cushing vs Newcastle vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Cushing has the most homeowners (84.7%).
Newcastle has the shortest commute (17 min average).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Cushing | Newcastle | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,460Lowest |
1,913 |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-2.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
48.8±7.7 9% above ME |
49.4±7Highest 10% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Newcastle and Cushing 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% |
17.1%±4 ME: 18.1% |
17.8%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
20.5%±0.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±1.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
38.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
45.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$83,500±$19k 12% above ME |
$89,868±$33kHighest 20% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Newcastle and Cushing are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$409,800±$44kHighest 38% above ME |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Cushing and Newcastle 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 |
$1,553±$376Highest 36% above ME |
$1,363±$81 20% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Cushing and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,944 30% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
33.7%±19.6 ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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 ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
3.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1990Highest 13 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
23 min 5% below ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±6.3 ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle 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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 13 | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.