Compare towns

Bath vs Ellsworth vs Fairfield

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%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Fairfield has the most kids (25.4% 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.

MeasureBathEllsworthFairfield
People
Population
8,815Highest
8,657
1,938Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.5%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+8.1%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3Highest
17% above U.S.
43±2.4
11% above U.S.
42.3±2.7Lowest
9% 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%±3.7Lowest
U.S.: 22%
18.4%±3.5
U.S.: 22%
25.4%±5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Fairfield and Ellsworth 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%
22.1%±3.3
U.S.: 17.2%
14.3%±1.8Lowest
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%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
39.3%
U.S.: 35.7%
30.2%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.3%±2
U.S.: 6.4%
3.5%±1.6Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bath and Ellsworth 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.
$77,375±$18k
4% below U.S.
$87,019±$22kHighest
8% above U.S.
Fairfield 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.
$242,300±$22kLowest
27% below U.S.
$320,600±$22kHighest
4% below U.S.
Fairfield and 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.
$1,017±$195Lowest
28% below U.S.
$1,056±$441Highest
25% below U.S.
Fairfield 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.
$3,262Lowest
5% above U.S.
$4,816Highest
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2
U.S.: 51.1%
62.1%±15.7Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
29.2%±20.4Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Ellsworth 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%
9.3%
U.S.: 12.5%
5.1%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
66.7%
U.S.: 65.2%
88.5%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1980
same as U.S.
1984Highest
4 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
9% below U.S.
25 minHighest
7% below U.S.
24 min
8% below U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.1%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
7.8%±3
U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #31 of 133 in ME #63 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Ellsworth Public Schools Maple Run Unified Union School District #57
High school in town Morse High School Ellsworth High School None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
12.7Lowest
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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.