Compare towns

Bath vs Ellsworth vs Readfield

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 renters (35.7% rent).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Readfield has the most homeowners (89.9%).

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.

MeasureBathEllsworthReadfield
People
Population
8,815Highest
8,657
2,651Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%
ME: +2.6%
+8.5%Highest
ME: +2.6%
0%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
45.4±3
about the ME average
43±2.4Lowest
4% below ME
48.1±7.6Highest
7% above ME
Readfield 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%
18.4%±3.5
ME: 18.1%
18.7%±3.9Highest
ME: 18.1%
Readfield 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
ME: 22.4%
22.1%±3.3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
22.3%±4.5
ME: 22.4%
Bath and Readfield 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%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
48.8%Highest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2Highest
ME: 5.8%
5.3%±2
ME: 5.8%
3.3%±2Lowest
ME: 5.8%
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
7% below ME
$77,375±$18k
4% above ME
$86,504±$8kHighest
16% above ME
Readfield 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
5% above ME
$242,300±$22kLowest
18% below ME
$326,400±$20kHighest
10% above ME
Readfield 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
8% below ME
$1,017±$195Lowest
11% below ME
$1,125±$844Highest
about the ME average
Readfield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,847Highest
27% above ME
$3,262Lowest
7% above ME
$3,392
12% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2
ME: 48.4%
62.1%±15.7Highest
ME: 48.4%
31.3%±100Lowest
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%
5%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
66.7%
ME: 74.3%
89.9%Highest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
39 yrs older than ME
1980Highest
3 yrs newer than ME
1979
2 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 minLowest
about the ME average
25 min
about the ME average
30 minHighest
20% above ME
Work from home
19.3%±6
ME: 15.9%
7.1%±2.8Lowest
ME: 15.9%
24.3%±14.9Highest
ME: 15.9%
Readfield and Bath 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 #20 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Ellsworth Public Schools RSU 38
High school in town Morse High School Ellsworth High School Maranacook Community High Sch
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8Highest
12.7
11.5Lowest
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.