What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).

Searsmont has the most homeowners (90.6%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Bath	Searsmont
People
Population	8,815Highest	1,646Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Highest ME: +2.6%	+0.6%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.4±3Highest about the ME average	44.5±9.8Lowest about the ME average
	Bath and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1%	13.9%±3.6Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Bath and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%	21%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%
	Bath and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.5%Highest ME: 36.2%	31.6%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Lowest ME: 5.8%	10%±6.6Highest ME: 5.8%
	Searsmont and Bath 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	$87,000±$20kHighest 16% above ME
	Searsmont and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME	$284,000±$31kLowest 4% below ME
	Bath and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME	$940±$311Lowest 17% below ME
	Bath and Searsmont are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Highest 27% above ME	$2,788Lowest 8% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4%	41.4%±41.3Lowest ME: 48.4%
	Bath and Searsmont 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%	6.6%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	90.6%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the ME average	25 minHighest about the ME average
Work from home	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%	16.3%±10.1Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bath and Searsmont 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	—
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	RSU 71
High school in town	Morse High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.