Compare towns
Bath vs Thornton 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 the most renters (35.7% rent).
Thornton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k 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 | Thornton | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
2,799 |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3% U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+1.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
51.1±3.4 31% above U.S. |
54.2±5.6Highest 39% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Thornton 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% |
13.9%±4.6Lowest 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%±4.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19%±4.9Lowest 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% |
46.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
50.7%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.8%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Thornton 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. |
$90,022±$17k 12% above U.S. |
$103,333±$27kHighest 28% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Thornton 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. |
$351,900±$20k 6% above U.S. |
$422,800±$102kHighest 27% above U.S. |
| West Bath and Thornton 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. |
$1,270±$428Highest 10% below U.S. |
$1,112±$327 21% below U.S. |
| Thornton 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. |
$5,032Highest 61% above U.S. |
$3,516Lowest 13% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
57.7%±24.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Thornton 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 U.S.: 12.5% |
9.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest 9% below U.S. |
23 min 14% below U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
29.8%±9.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Thornton and 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 | #18 of 120 in NH | — |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Thornton 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 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.