Compare towns
Bath vs Standish vs Windham vs Ellsworth
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 oldest population (median age 45.4).
Standish has the most homeowners (91.2%).
Windham has the most expensive homes ($389k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k 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 | Standish | Windham | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
10,662 |
19,188Highest |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3.7% ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
40.5±2.8Lowest 10% below ME |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.4%±3.1 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Ellsworth 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% |
15.2%±2.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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% |
36%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
11.6%±1.7Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$104,593±$15k 40% above ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Windham and Standish are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$336,000±$18k 13% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$983±$453Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,232±$332Highest 8% above ME |
$1,017±$195 11% below ME |
| Windham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,005Lowest about the ME average |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,262 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
57.4%±22.3 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Standish 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% |
7.3% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
91.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
84.6% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest about the ME average |
29 minHighest 20% above ME |
26 min 7% above ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
13.6%±3.8 ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Windham 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 | #18 of 133 in ME | #95 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 06/MSAD 06 | RSU 14 | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Bonny Eagle High School | Windham High School | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.5 |
12.1Lowest |
12.7 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → |
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.