Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs West Bath
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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Dover has the most expensive homes ($1340k median).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Dover | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
5,930 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
44.9±2.3Lowest 15% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
26%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
16.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| West Bath 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
84.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
7.2%±2.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Dover 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±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$250,001Highest 210% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$1,340,300±$117kHighest 303% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$2,917±$2kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Dover and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
20%±100Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and West 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% |
2.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
97.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1970 10 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 31% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
34.2%±6.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #1 of 282 in MA | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover · Dover-Sherborn | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover-Sherborn Regional High | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.