Compare towns
Bath vs Lubec vs Ellsworth
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 expensive homes ($311k median).
Lubec has the most people working from home (26.3%).
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 | Lubec | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,346Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
59.3±4.5Highest 32% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
41.2%±3.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
32.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
6.2%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Lubec and 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±$12k 7% below ME |
$52,375±$11kLowest 30% below ME |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| 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±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
$188,700±$26kLowest 36% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
$550±$204Lowest 52% below ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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 |
$2,039Lowest 33% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
40.6%±25.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
14.7%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1960 17 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
26.3%±12.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Lubec 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 85/MSAD 19 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| 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.