Compare towns
Bath vs West Bath vs Rockland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
West Bath has the highest household income ($103k).
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 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 | West Bath | Rockland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Highest |
1,863Lowest |
7,035 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
49.3±6 10% above ME |
| West Bath and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Rockland 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% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| 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±$12k 7% below ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
| West Bath and Bath 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 |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
$1,092±$105 4% below ME |
| West Bath and Rockland 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 |
$3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$4,059Highest 34% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland 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% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
10.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1948 29 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 16% below ME |
12 minLowest 50% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | — | #96 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | West Bath Public Schools | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | None in town | Oceanside High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
— | 10.7Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.