Compare towns
Bath vs Ellsworth vs Gorham vs Mapleton
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 oldest population (median age 45.4).
Gorham has the most expensive homes ($461k median).
Mapleton has the most affordable homes ($192k median).
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 | Ellsworth | Gorham | Mapleton |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,657 |
18,300Highest |
1,884Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+11.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
39.4±2.9Lowest 12% below ME |
41.8±6 7% below ME |
| 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 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
20.9%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Gorham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
17.5%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
44.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
13.1%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$112,312±$6kHighest 50% above ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
| Gorham and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$460,900±$26kHighest 55% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$1,680±$355Highest 47% above ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
$4,825Highest 59% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
37.9%±8.6 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| 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 ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
81.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
25 min about the ME average |
27 min 10% above ME |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.7 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Gorham 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | #24 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Ellsworth Public Schools | Gorham Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Ellsworth High School | Gorham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
12.9 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.