Compare towns
Bath vs Hancock 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 people working from home (19.3%).
Hancock has the oldest population (median age 56.3).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
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 | Hancock | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
2,518Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
56.3±6.4Highest 26% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
13.9%±4.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth 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 ME: 22.4% |
30.2%±7Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Hancock 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.1Lowest 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 |
$72,285±$5k 3% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Hancock are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$276,800±$51k 7% below ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Bath and Hancock 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 |
$1,171±$65Highest about the ME average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Hancock and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,869Lowest 38% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
42%±15.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
8.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 18% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
5.1%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #117 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Hancock 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 | 5 photos → |
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.