Compare towns
Bath vs Saco 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 most affordable homes ($311k median).
Saco has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.3%).
South Eliot has the oldest population (median age 55.5).
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 | Saco | South Eliot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815 |
20,819Highest |
4,203Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+4.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
55.5±8Highest 24% above ME |
| South Eliot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.2%±4.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| 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 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32.8%±6.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
| South Eliot 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 ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
49.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
1.2%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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 7% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$99,299±$9kHighest 33% above ME |
| South Eliot 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±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$475,600±$52kHighest 60% above ME |
| South Eliot and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$2,155±$292Highest 89% above ME |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Lowest 27% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$4,442 46% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14Lowest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±29.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
| South Eliot 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% |
5.5%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
79.9%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
24 min 3% below ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
14.2%±4.5Lowest 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 | — |
| 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 |
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.