Compare towns
Bath vs Vinalhaven 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 most renters (35.7% rent).
Vinalhaven has the oldest population (median age 65.1).
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 | Vinalhaven | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,216Lowest |
8,657 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+9.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
65.1±3.9Highest 45% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
11.2%±3.3Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth 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 ME: 22.4% |
50.4%±6.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 42.5% ME: 36.2% |
45.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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 |
$72,963±$11k about the ME average |
$77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
| Ellsworth and Vinalhaven 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 |
$428,400±$44kHighest 44% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
$1,017±$924Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Bath and Vinalhaven 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 |
$3,598 19% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
53.6%±41.5 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Vinalhaven 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%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1966 11 yrs older than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
19 minLowest 24% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #31 of 133 in ME | — | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 12.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.