Compare towns
Bath vs Eliot vs South Berwick
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.3%).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% 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 | Eliot | South Berwick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
7,146Lowest |
7,670 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.4% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
50.8±5.9Highest 13% above ME |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
| Eliot 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 ME: 18.1% |
16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.8%±6.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Eliot 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% ME: 36.2% |
43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and South Berwick 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 7% below ME |
$101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$428,300±$26k 44% above ME |
| Eliot and South Berwick 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 |
$1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,726±$83 52% above ME |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,549 50% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5 ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and South Berwick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
4.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
23 minLowest 9% below ME |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and South Berwick 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #58 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 35/MSAD 35 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Marshwood High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 13.0Lowest |
| 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.