Compare towns
Bath vs Penobscot
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%).
Penobscot has the most homeowners (84.2%).
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 | Penobscot |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,154Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
| Penobscot and Bath 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% |
18%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot 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% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kHighest 7% below ME |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
| Bath and Penobscot 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 |
$296,400±$58kLowest about the ME average |
| Bath and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
| Penobscot 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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 12.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1979Highest 2 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Penobscot 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 | Penobscot Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.