Compare towns
Bath vs Sheldon vs Brunswick vs West Bath
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Sheldon has the most kids (23.7% under 18).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
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 | Sheldon | Brunswick | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
2,267 |
17,652Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+12.2%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5 5% above U.S. |
37.9±2.2Lowest about the U.S. average |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
16.1%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
23%±2.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
51.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.4%±1.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$70,722±$5k 12% below U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kLowest 18% below U.S. |
$363,200±$18k 9% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379 9% below U.S. |
$1,465±$100Highest 4% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Brunswick and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$4,477Highest 44% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
58.8%±9.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Brunswick 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% |
5.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1977 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
18%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Brunswick 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 | — | #30 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | — | West Bath Public Schools |
| 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 History | None yet | 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.