Compare towns
Bath vs Lee 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%).
Lee has the shortest commute (18 min average).
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 | Lee | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
5,719Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.6%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
55.2±5.8Highest 42% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
12.6%±5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| 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 U.S.: 17.2% |
33.4%±6.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Lee 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5%±2.1Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$83,750±$13kHighest 4% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Lee and Ellsworth 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. |
$352,700±$19kHighest 6% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Lee 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 26% below U.S. |
$1,375±$212Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,980Highest 28% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.3%±21.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Lee are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
71.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1959 21 yrs older than U.S. |
1980Highest same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
18 minLowest 31% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.4%±7.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Lee 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 | #209 of 282 in MA | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Lee | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Lee Middle/High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
9.2Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
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.