Compare towns
Bath vs Rye vs Phippsburg vs Ellsworth
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Rye has the most expensive homes ($1028k median).
Phippsburg has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Rye | Phippsburg | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
5,611 |
2,238Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+4.6% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
55.1±3Highest 42% above U.S. |
54.3±6.3 40% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
| Rye and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
18.2%±4 U.S.: 22% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Ellsworth and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
31.7%±5.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
34.4%±3.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Phippsburg and Rye are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
61.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
37.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
2.3%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$140,655±$39kHighest 74% above U.S. |
$107,833±$19k 34% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
| Rye and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$1,028,100±$89kHighest 209% above U.S. |
$335,800±$47k about the U.S. average |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,781±$156Highest 26% above U.S. |
$1,022±$346 28% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$7,519Highest 141% above U.S. |
$2,034Lowest 35% below U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
44.3%±16.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
6.9%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
85.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1972 8 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
29 minHighest 9% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 19% below U.S. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.9%±7.6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.7%±4.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Rye 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 | #2 of 120 in NH | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Rye School District | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | — | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.