What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).

South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).

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	South Berwick
People
Population	8,815Highest	7,670Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+3%Lowest ME: +2.6%	+3.4%Highest ME: +2.6%
Median age	45.4±3Highest about the ME average	39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME
Kids under 18	15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1%	26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1%
Age 65+	25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4%	15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	42.5%Highest ME: 36.2%	41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8%	4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8%
	Bath and South Berwick 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	$99,572±$13kHighest 33% above ME
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME	$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME	$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,847Lowest 27% above ME	$4,956Highest 63% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4%	53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4%
	South Berwick 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%	3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%	78.3%Highest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME	1982Highest 5 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	24 minLowest about the ME average	27 minHighest 9% above ME
Work from home	19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9%	17.6%±5.8Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Bath and South Berwick 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	#58 of 133 in ME
School district	RSU 01 - LKRSU	RSU 35/MSAD 35
High school in town	Morse High School	Marshwood High School
Students per teacherat that high school	14.8Highest	13.0Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.