Compare towns
Bath vs Freeport vs West Bath
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 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 | Freeport | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
8,802 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
48.8±4.3 9% above ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath and Freeport 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%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
26.7%±4.9 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Freeport 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 |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Freeport and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Freeport and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,439±$123Highest 26% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Freeport and West Bath 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 |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
8.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
77.6% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 4% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport 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 | #4 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 05 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
— |
| 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.