Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs Saco 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).
Dover has the youngest population (median age 36.9).
Saco has the most homeowners (72.8%).
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 | Dover | Saco | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
20,819 |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% 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% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Saco 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% |
16.8%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
18.5%±2.1 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% |
52%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.2%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.2%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest 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±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$94,829±$7kHighest 17% above U.S. |
$92,241±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$245,800±$38kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Dover and Saco 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. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 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% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
24 min 10% below U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockland 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 | #64 of 120 in NH | #38 of 133 in ME | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | Saco Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7 |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.