Compare towns
Bath vs Saco vs New Castle
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
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 | New Castle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
20,819Highest |
827Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
44.9±1.5Lowest 15% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
16.7%±2.5Highest U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1Lowest 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% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
43.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest 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%±1.8Lowest 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±$11k 14% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$413,100±$17k 24% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,249±$385 12% below U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 23% above U.S. |
$4,807 54% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
50.3%±14 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Saco 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
72.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
93%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1982Highest 2 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 10% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| New Castle 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 | New Castle School District |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | 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.