Compare towns
Bath vs Harpswell 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).
Harpswell has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6.1%).
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 | Harpswell | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
5,046 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+6.1%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
62±1.5Highest 38% above ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
8.8%±2.6Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Bath and West 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% |
38.6%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and West Bath 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 |
$96,250±$15k 29% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Harpswell 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 |
$609,700±$60kHighest 106% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,348±$53Highest 18% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Harpswell and West 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 |
$3,141Lowest 3% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
24.9%±5.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and West 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
83.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
30 minHighest 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
20.7%±6.2Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Harpswell 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — |
| 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.