Compare towns
Bath vs Exeter vs Rockland
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 youngest population (median age 45.4).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Exeter | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
16,151Highest |
7,035Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-4.9%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
45.8±2.3 18% above U.S. |
49.3±6Highest 27% above U.S. |
| Rockland and Exeter 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% |
17%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Exeter and Bath 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% |
24.4%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Rockland 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
59.2%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±1.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Exeter 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±$12k 14% below U.S. |
$110,346±$13kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$56,533±$6kLowest 30% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$456,600±$21kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$245,800±$38kLowest 26% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,856±$223Highest 31% above U.S. |
$1,092±$105 23% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$8,814Highest 183% above U.S. |
$4,059 30% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
59%±11.3Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.6%±15.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Exeter and Rockland 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% |
4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
10.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
69.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
62%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1979Highest 1 yr older than U.S. |
1948 32 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 6% below U.S. |
12 minLowest 53% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.9%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
22.1%±7.5Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rockland and Exeter 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 | #22 of 120 in NH | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Exeter High School | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1 |
10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 59 photos → | 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.