Compare towns
Bath vs Rockland vs South Eliot
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 youngest population (median age 45.4).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
South Eliot has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
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 | Rockland | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
7,035 |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
49.3±6 10% above ME |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
| South Eliot and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot and Rockland 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% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Rockland 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 |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,059 34% above ME |
$4,442Highest 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3 ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot and Rockland 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% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1948 29 yrs older than ME |
1973Highest 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | — |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Oceanside High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
10.7Lowest |
— |
| 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.