Compare towns
Bath vs Manchester vs West Bath
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Manchester has grown the fastest since 2010 (+5.5%).
West Bath has the most homeowners (82.3%).
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 | Manchester | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
115,643Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+5.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
38±1Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18%±1Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Manchester 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% |
15.5%±0.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
34%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.4%±0.7Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Manchester 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±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$81,007±$2k about the U.S. average |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$365,600±$7k 10% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Manchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,564±$37Highest 11% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$5,922Highest 90% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50%±3.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Manchester 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% |
11.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
48.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
24 min 9% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
14.1%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| 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 | #115 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Spark Academy of Advanced Technologies · Manchester School District | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Manchester Memorial High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
14.3Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 6 photos → | 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.