Compare towns
Bath vs Mapleton vs Phippsburg 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%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | Mapleton | Phippsburg | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,884 |
2,238 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
54.3±6.3Highest 21% above ME |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Phippsburg and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton 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% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and West 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% |
34.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
37.7% ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Mapleton 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 |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
| Phippsburg and West 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 5% above ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Phippsburg 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 |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,022±$346 10% 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 |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$2,034 33% below ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 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% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 13% above ME |
21 min 13% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 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 | — | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.