Compare towns
Bath vs Dover vs West Bath vs Phippsburg
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.2%).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
33,364Highest |
1,863Lowest |
2,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
36.9±1.9Lowest 5% below U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
54.3±6.3Highest 40% above U.S. |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.9%±1.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Dover and Bath 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% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Phippsburg and West 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% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%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% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest 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. |
$94,829±$7k 17% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
$107,833±$19kHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$436,700±$20kHighest 31% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
$335,800±$47k about the U.S. average |
| Dover and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,607±$100Highest 14% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
$1,022±$346Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$8,249Highest 164% above U.S. |
$3,516 13% above U.S. |
$2,034Lowest 35% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48.6%±6.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Dover 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
52.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
21 min 19% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
18.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Dover 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Dover School District | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Dover Senior High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— | — |
| 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.