Compare towns
Bath vs Saco vs Ellsworth vs West Bath
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 renters (35.7% rent).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | Saco | Ellsworth | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
20,819Highest |
8,657 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5 about the ME average |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Saco 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% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Saco 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 |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Saco 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 |
$1,249±$385Highest 10% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Saco and West Bath 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 |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
24 min 3% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Saco 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 | #38 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Saco Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| 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 |
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.