Compare towns
Bath vs Harpswell vs Rockland
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 youngest population (median age 45.4).
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 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 | Harpswell | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
5,046Lowest |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
49.3±6 10% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$96,250±$15kHighest 29% above ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland 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% |
5.6%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1948 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland and Harpswell 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 | — | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.