Compare towns
Bath vs Ogunquit vs Waterville 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 oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Waterville has the shortest commute (18 min average).
Ellsworth has the most kids (18.4% under 18).
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 | Ogunquit | Waterville | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
1,379Lowest |
17,077Highest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+76.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.7%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
62.8±4.8Highest 40% above ME |
35.5±2.5Lowest 21% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
14.4%±2.4 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% |
43.6%±10.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±2.5Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
63.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
18.1%±1.5Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$114,259±$56kHighest 53% above ME |
$53,580±$4kLowest 28% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Ogunquit 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 5% above ME |
$875,700±$79kHighest 195% above ME |
$184,600±$21kLowest 38% below ME |
$242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
— | $978±$72Lowest 14% 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 | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,473Highest 47% above ME |
$2,755Lowest 9% below ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
0%±61.1Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.5%±8.7 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
20.6%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
94.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
48.8%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
1959 18 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
18 minLowest 27% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
43.3%±12.4Highest ME: 15.9% |
16.6%±5.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #105 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Waterville Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Waterville Senior High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.8 |
12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.