Compare towns
Bath vs Jay 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Jay | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
4,657 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Jay 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% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest 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 |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Bath 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 |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
| West Bath 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 |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest 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% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and West 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 | #86 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 73 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Spruce Mountain High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.