Compare towns
Bath vs Surry vs Woolwich vs Phippsburg
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 people working from home (19.3%).
Surry has grown the fastest since 2010 (+11.3%).
Woolwich has the most affordable homes ($255k median).
Phippsburg 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 | Surry | Woolwich | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,836Lowest |
3,158 |
2,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% ME: +2.6% |
+11.3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-0.1% ME: +2.6% |
-2.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
52.4±5.6 17% above ME |
55.8±5.5Highest 25% above ME |
54.3±6.3 21% above ME |
| Woolwich and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
16.6%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
15%±5.5 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Surry and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
30.9%±3.8 ME: 22.4% |
33.9%±8.2 ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Phippsburg and Woolwich 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% |
38.1% ME: 36.2% |
52.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2%±1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Woolwich 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 |
$74,508±$12k about the ME average |
$102,175±$26k 37% above ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Woolwich 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 |
$296,300±$36k about the ME average |
$254,500±$59kLowest 14% below ME |
$335,800±$47kHighest 13% above ME |
| Phippsburg and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
$969±$129Lowest 15% below ME |
— | $1,022±$346 10% below ME |
| Bath and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$1,903Lowest 37% below ME |
$2,433 20% below ME |
$2,034 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
65.8%±59.5Highest ME: 48.4% |
64.3%±100 ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Surry and Woolwich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
7%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
13.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6% ME: 74.3% |
95.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1987Highest 10 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
31 minHighest 26% above ME |
29 min 20% above ME |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.4%±5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.9%±6.2 ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Woolwich 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 | — | #92 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Surry Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8 |
— | — | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.