Compare towns
Bath vs Old Orchard Beach 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 people working from home (19.3%).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
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 | Old Orchard Beach | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
9,244Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±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% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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% ME: 36.2% |
42.8%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% 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±$30k 5% above ME |
$366,600±$38kHighest 24% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Old Orchard Beach and Bath 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 |
$1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$3,426 13% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15Lowest 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% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
68.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Old Orchard Beach 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 | #67 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 23 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Old Orchard Beach High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
7.6Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.