Compare towns
Bath vs Dedham vs Ellsworth vs Monroe
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bath has the most people working from home (11.1%).
Dedham has the highest household income ($111k).
Ellsworth has the most renters (33.3% rent).
Monroe has grown the fastest since 2010 (+9.6%).
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 | Dedham | Ellsworth | Monroe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,097 |
1,656 |
8,657Highest |
786Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+8.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
+9.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
46.5±2.2 20% above U.S. |
43±2.4Lowest 11% above U.S. |
51±10.4Highest 31% above U.S. |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 21.3%±5.8 U.S.: 22% |
23.8%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
18.4%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.9%±7.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Dedham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
18.7%±2.9Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
22.1%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
30.3%±8.9Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Monroe and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 26.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
49.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
39.3% U.S.: 35.7% |
25.4%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.3%±1.7 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.3%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.1%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Ellsworth and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $67,813±$22kLowest 16% below U.S. |
$111,442±$18kHighest 38% above U.S. |
$77,375±$18k 4% below U.S. |
$88,150±$7k 9% above U.S. |
| Dedham and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $234,400±$23kLowest 30% below U.S. |
$356,400±$33kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$242,300±$22k 27% below U.S. |
$312,700±$58k 6% below U.S. |
| Dedham and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,438±$309Highest about the U.S. average |
$1,422±$607 about the U.S. average |
$1,017±$195Lowest 28% below U.S. |
$1,104±$218 22% below U.S. |
| Bath and Dedham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413Highest 41% above U.S. |
$3,942 26% above U.S. |
$3,262 5% above U.S. |
$2,661Lowest 15% below U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
13%±85.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
62.1%±15.7Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
48%±39 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Ellsworth and Monroe are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 8.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
9% U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
95.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
66.7%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
88.6% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
1980 same as U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
30 minHighest 14% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 7% below U.S. |
27 min 4% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
9.3%±4.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
7.1%±2.8 U.S.: 15.1% |
3.2%±2.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Dedham 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 | — | — | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Bath School District | Dedham Public Schools | Ellsworth Public Schools | Monroe School District |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 12.7 |
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| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 5 photos → | None yet |
U.S. 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.