Compare towns
Bath vs Strafford 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 grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Strafford has the most kids (23% under 18).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Strafford | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,372Lowest |
1,863 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.4%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.4±4.7 32% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Strafford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
23%±5.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Strafford and Bath 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% |
22.1%±3.4Lowest 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%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
53.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.1%±2.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Strafford 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. |
$110,833±$19kHighest 37% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27k 28% above U.S. |
| Strafford and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 7% below U.S. |
$431,300±$40kHighest 30% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102k 27% above U.S. |
| Strafford 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 26% below U.S. |
$1,125±$789Highest 20% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Strafford and West Bath 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. |
$7,149Highest 129% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
44.6%±48 U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Strafford 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% |
5.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.9%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 13% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
16.1%±4.3Lowest 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 | — | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Strafford School District | 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 |
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.