Compare towns
Bath vs Wells vs York
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 affordable homes ($311k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
York has the highest household income ($121k).
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 | Wells | York |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
11,713 |
13,986Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+9.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
49.5±5.2 10% above ME |
| Wells and York are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
21.1%±3.3Highest ME: 18.1% |
| York and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
27.9%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and York 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 ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
53.1%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Wells 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 |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
$121,250±$25kHighest 62% above ME |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
$636,400±$30kHighest 115% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
$1,490±$336Highest 31% above ME |
| York and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,847 27% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$4,658Highest 53% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
56.5%±10.8Highest ME: 48.4% |
| York 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 ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
5.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
81.5% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
26%±3.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| York 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #13 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | York Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Wells High School | York High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
11.4 |
9.6Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.