Compare towns
Bath vs Hampton Beach vs Saco vs Ellsworth
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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).
Saco has the highest household income ($92k).
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 | Hampton Beach | Saco | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,605Lowest |
20,819Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+14.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
60.4±2.4Highest 55% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5 15% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
3.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Saco 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% |
22.1%±3.3 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% |
39.3% 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% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$82,557±$17k about the U.S. average |
$92,241±$11kHighest 14% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below 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±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$508,900±$76kHighest 53% above U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$130Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% 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 | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$6,115Highest 96% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
61.7%±20.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Hampton Beach 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% |
9.3% 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% |
66.7% 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. |
1980 same as 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. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
26.9%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest 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 | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Saco Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → | 5 photos → |
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.