Compare towns
Bath vs Dresden vs Penobscot
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).
Dresden has the most affordable homes ($240k median).
Penobscot has the most kids (18% under 18).
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 | Dresden | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,645 |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+3.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
55.1±7.9Highest 23% above ME |
53.4±5.7 19% above ME |
| Dresden and Penobscot 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%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Dresden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
24.8%±8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
30.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
32.4% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Dresden 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 7% below ME |
$74,844±$22kHighest about the ME average |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Dresden and Bath 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 |
$240,100±$29kLowest 19% below ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
| Bath and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,194±$502Highest 5% above ME |
$1,141±$33 about the ME average |
| Dresden and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,500 18% below ME |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
13.2%±26Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
33 minHighest 35% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
6.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Penobscot 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 02 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.