Compare towns
Bath vs Windham vs Old Orchard Beach
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).
Windham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.4%).
Old Orchard Beach has the oldest population (median age 58).
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 | Old Orchard Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,815Lowest |
19,188Highest |
9,244 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+8.4%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3.9% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 45.4±3 about the ME average |
41.8±1.8Lowest 7% below ME |
58±3.5Highest 29% above ME |
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
19.2%±2.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
6.5%±2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Windham 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% |
15.9%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
33.5%±4.4Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 ME: 36.2% |
44.2%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.8% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
3.9%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
7%±1.9Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Old Orchard Beach and 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 |
$107,934±$14kHighest 44% above ME |
$60,050±$11kLowest 20% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$388,900±$22kHighest 31% above ME |
$366,600±$38k 24% above ME |
| Windham and Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$1,232±$332 8% above ME |
$1,246±$182Highest 9% above ME |
| Old Orchard Beach 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 |
$3,938Highest 30% above ME |
$3,426Lowest 13% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
32.7%±14.7Lowest ME: 48.4% |
50.7%±15 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Old Orchard Beach are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 12.4% ME: 10.7% |
3.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
14.9%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
68.2% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min about the ME average |
26 minHighest 7% above ME |
22 minLowest 11% below ME |
| Work from home | 19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±4.1 ME: 15.9% |
15%±4.4Lowest 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 | #67 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 14 | RSU 23 |
| High school in town | Morse High School | Windham High School | Old Orchard Beach High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.8Highest |
12.1 |
7.6Lowest |
| 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.