Compare towns
Bath vs Windham vs Brunswick 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 oldest population (median age 45.4).
Windham has the highest household income ($108k).
Brunswick has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
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 | Windham | Brunswick | Ellsworth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 8,815 |
19,188Highest |
17,652 |
8,657Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4% ME: +2.6% |
+12.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+8.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
41.8±1.8 7% below ME |
37.9±2.2Lowest 15% below ME |
43±2.4 4% below ME |
| Bath and Ellsworth 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% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
16.1%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18.4%±3.5 ME: 18.1% |
| Windham and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
23%±2.4 ME: 22.4% |
22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Brunswick 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% |
44.2% ME: 36.2% |
51.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
15.4%±1.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$70,722±$5k 5% below ME |
$77,375±$18k 4% above ME |
| Windham and Ellsworth 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 |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$363,200±$18k 22% above ME |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
| Windham and Brunswick are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,465±$100Highest 29% above ME |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
| Brunswick and Windham 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 |
$3,938 30% above ME |
$4,477Highest 47% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
58.8%±9.2 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Brunswick 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% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
8.6% ME: 10.7% |
9.3% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
66.3% ME: 74.3% |
66.7% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
23 minLowest 7% below ME |
25 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
18%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Windham 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 | #95 of 133 in ME | #30 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 14 | — | Ellsworth Public Schools |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Windham High School | — | Ellsworth High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1Lowest |
— | 12.7 |
| 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.