Compare towns
Bath vs Durham vs Ellsworth
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Durham has the most expensive homes ($498k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Durham is a college town. 70.2% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
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 | Durham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
10,681Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
20.1±0.2Lowest 48% below U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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% |
6.5%±2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
7.5%±1.4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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% |
75.4%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
70.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$112,070±$25kHighest 39% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Durham and Ellsworth 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. |
$498,000±$45kHighest 50% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,302±$211Highest 8% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Durham and 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. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.4%±19.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Durham 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
53.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
17 minLowest 35% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
15.6%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Durham 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 | #9 of 120 in NH | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | 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 |
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.