Compare towns
Bath vs Sunapee 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%).
Sunapee has the oldest population (median age 56.7).
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 | Sunapee | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
3,416 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-0.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
56.7±1.4Highest 46% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6 39% above U.S. |
| Sunapee and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.9%±3.4Lowest U.S.: 22% |
14.7%±4.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bath and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.3%±7.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
29.4%±4.2 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Sunapee and West 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% |
50.6% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.5%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3 U.S.: 6.4% |
| 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 14% below U.S. |
$101,393±$20k 26% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Sunapee 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. |
$393,000±$51k 18% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Sunapee 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. |
$1,713±$451Highest 21% above U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Sunapee 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. |
$4,400Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
34.6%±10.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and West 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% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
75.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1975 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
33 minHighest 24% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.5%±4.5Lowest 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 | #14 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Sunapee School District | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Sunapee Sr. High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.9Lowest |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.