Compare towns
Bath vs Ellsworth vs Ogunquit vs Salem
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 shortest commute (24 min average).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Salem has the most renters (50.3% rent).
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 | Ogunquit | Salem |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,657 |
1,379Lowest |
44,795Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
39.3±1.5Lowest about the U.S. average |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
15.7%±1.7 U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Salem are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
17.2%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
47.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
8.2%±1.1Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Salem and Bath 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. |
$114,259±$56kHighest 42% above U.S. |
$85,153±$5k 5% above U.S. |
| Ogunquit and Salem 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. |
$875,700±$79kHighest 163% above U.S. |
$542,800±$18k 63% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
— | $1,836±$84Highest 30% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$6,114Highest 96% 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% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
54.9%±4.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Salem 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
49.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
29 minHighest 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
21.6%±2.5 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | — | #248 of 282 in MA |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Ellsworth Public Schools | — | Salem |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Ellsworth High School | — | Salem High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7 |
— | 9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.