Compare towns
Bath vs Sheldon vs Ellsworth 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).
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | Sheldon | Ellsworth | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
2,267 |
8,657 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
43±2.4 11% above U.S. |
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% |
18.4%±3.5 U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Ellsworth 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% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 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% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
$77,375±$18k 4% 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±$61k 18% below U.S. |
$242,300±$22kLowest 27% below U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 23% above U.S. |
$3,578 15% above U.S. |
$3,262Lowest 5% above U.S. |
$3,516 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% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth 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% |
9.3% 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% |
66.7% 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. |
1980 same as 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. |
25 min 7% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and West 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 | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 | Ellsworth Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | 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.