Compare towns
Bath vs Freeport vs Kittery vs Ellsworth
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).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
Kittery has the shortest commute (20 min average).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Freeport | Kittery | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
8,802 |
10,473Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+6.1% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
48.8±4.3Highest 9% above ME |
46.8±2.3 4% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Freeport and Kittery are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±2.9Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
26.9%±4.9Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Kittery and Freeport 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 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 |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$93,728±$14k 25% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Freeport and Kittery 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 |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$468,500±$31k 58% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Freeport and Kittery 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 |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,716±$224Highest 51% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Kittery and Freeport are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$4,518 49% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9 ME: 48.4% |
38.8%±14.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Freeport 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
67.2% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1965 12 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
20 minLowest 19% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.7%±7.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Kittery and Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | #17 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 05 | Kittery Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Freeport High School | Robert W Traip Academy | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.2 |
9.9Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.