Compare towns
Bath vs Mapleton vs Strong vs Rockland
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 highest household income ($92k).
Strong has the most homeowners (84.6%).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
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 | Strong | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,884 |
1,249Lowest |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2% ME: +2.6% |
-7.5%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
-4.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
47.5±8.9 6% above ME |
49.3±6Highest 10% above ME |
| Rockland and Strong are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.5%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Strong 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% |
22%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Rockland 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%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
26.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
35.6% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
2.1%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 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±$12k 7% below ME |
$91,731±$25kHighest 23% above ME |
$47,557±$10kLowest 36% below ME |
$56,533±$6k 24% below ME |
| Mapleton 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 |
$191,800±$23k 35% below ME |
$183,900±$29kLowest 38% below ME |
$245,800±$38k 17% below ME |
| Bath and Rockland 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 |
$920±$276 19% below ME |
$1,092±$105Highest 4% below ME |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$1,950 36% below ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
20.9%±52.4 ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland 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% |
8.9%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1977Highest same as ME |
1971 6 yrs older than ME |
1948 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
28 min 13% above ME |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
18.5%±9.8 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | — | — | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 58/MSAD 58 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 10.7Lowest |
| 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.