Compare towns

Bath vs Saco vs Hampton Beach

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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Saco has the most homeowners (72.8%).
Hampton Beach has the most people working from home (26.9%).

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.

MeasureBathSacoHampton Beach
People
Population
8,815
20,819Highest
2,605Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+3%Lowest
U.S.: +7.4%
+10.3%
U.S.: +7.4%
+14.2%Highest
U.S.: +7.4%
Median age
45.4±3
17% above U.S.
44.9±1.5Lowest
15% above U.S.
60.4±2.4Highest
55% above U.S.
Kids under 18
15.5%±3.7
U.S.: 22%
16.7%±2.5Highest
U.S.: 22%
3.1%±2.8Lowest
U.S.: 22%
Saco 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
U.S.: 17.2%
18.5%±2.1Lowest
U.S.: 17.2%
33.7%±4.1Highest
U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
42.5%
U.S.: 35.7%
43.5%Highest
U.S.: 35.7%
34%Lowest
U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
5.5%±2Highest
U.S.: 6.4%
5.2%±1.2
U.S.: 6.4%
0.6%±0.7Lowest
U.S.: 6.4%
Bath and Saco 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.
$92,241±$11kHighest
14% above U.S.
$82,557±$17k
about the U.S. average
Saco and Hampton Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$310,900±$30kLowest
7% below U.S.
$413,100±$17k
24% above U.S.
$508,900±$76kHighest
53% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,044±$116Lowest
26% below U.S.
$1,249±$385
12% below U.S.
$1,375±$130Highest
about the U.S. average
Hampton Beach and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly
$3,847Lowest
23% above U.S.
$4,807
54% above U.S.
$6,115Highest
96% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
51.3%±15.2
U.S.: 51.1%
50.3%±14Lowest
U.S.: 51.1%
61.7%±20.2Highest
U.S.: 51.1%
Hampton Beach 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%
6.4%Lowest
U.S.: 12.5%
8.2%
U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
64.3%
U.S.: 65.2%
72.8%Highest
U.S.: 65.2%
62.9%Lowest
U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year
1938Lowest
42 yrs older than U.S.
1982Highest
2 yrs newer than U.S.
1971
9 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
24 min
9% below U.S.
24 minLowest
10% below U.S.
25 minHighest
4% below U.S.
Work from home
19.3%±6
U.S.: 15.1%
19%±3.6Lowest
U.S.: 15.1%
26.9%±6.1Highest
U.S.: 15.1%
Hampton Beach 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 #38 of 133 in ME —
School district RSU 01 - LKRSU Saco 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 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.