Compare towns

Bath vs Hampton Beach vs Saco

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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Saco has the most homeowners (72.8%).

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.

MeasureBathHampton BeachSaco
People
Population
8,815
2,605Lowest
20,819Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+14.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
60.4±2.4Highest
55% above U.S.
44.9±1.5Lowest
15% above U.S.
Kids under 18
15.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
3.1%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
16.7%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
Saco 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%
33.7%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
34%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
43.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
0.6%±0.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
Bath and Saco 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.
$82,557±$17k
about the U.S. average
$92,241±$11kHighest
14% above U.S.
Saco and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$310,900±$30kLowest
7% below U.S.
$508,900±$76kHighest
53% above U.S.
$413,100±$17k
24% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,044±$116Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,375±$130Highest
about the U.S. average
$1,249±$385
12% below U.S.
Hampton Beach and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,847Lowest
23% above U.S.
$6,115Highest
96% above U.S.
$4,807
54% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2
U.S.: 51.1%
61.7%±20.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
50.3%±14Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
Hampton Beach 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
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
6.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
62.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
9% below U.S.
25 minHighest
4% below U.S.
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
26.9%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
Hampton Beach 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 — #38 of 133 in ME
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU — Saco Public Schools
High school in town Morse High School — None in town
Students per teacherat that high school
14.8
— —
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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.