Compare towns
Bath vs South Berwick vs West Bath
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).
South Berwick has the most kids (26.7% under 18).
West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).
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 | South Berwick | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
7,670 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+3.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
39±2.5Lowest 13% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
26.7%±6Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
15.8%±3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| 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% ME: 36.2% |
41.8%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±1.9Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and West 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 |
$99,572±$13k 33% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and South Berwick 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 |
$428,300±$26kHighest 44% above ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| South Berwick and West Bath 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 |
$1,726±$83Highest 52% above ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$4,956Highest 63% above ME |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
53.5%±24.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
78.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
27 minHighest 9% above ME |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.6%±5.8 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest 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 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Marshwood High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
13.0Lowest |
— |
| 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.