Compare towns
Bath vs Lawrence 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 most people working from home (19.3%).
Lawrence has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.7%).
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 | Lawrence | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
88,736Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+16.7%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
32.6±0.9Lowest 16% below U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
26.3%±1.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
10.5%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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 U.S.: 35.7% |
16.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±0.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Lawrence 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 14% below U.S. |
$60,433±$3kLowest 25% below U.S. |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% below U.S. |
| Ellsworth and Bath 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. |
$415,200±$23kHighest 25% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,662±$50Highest 18% above U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 23% above U.S. |
$3,422 10% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
60.6%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Lawrence are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% U.S.: 12.5% |
17.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
28.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1950 30 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
23 minLowest 13% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | #278 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Lawrence | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Lawrence High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
13.6 |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.