Compare towns
Bath vs Lempster vs Sheldon
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 grown the fastest since 2010 (0%).
Lempster has the highest household income ($87k).
Sheldon has the most people working from home (13%).
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 | Lempster | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,097 |
953Lowest |
2,267Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | 0%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 48.6±8.6 25% above U.S. |
50.8±7.2Highest 31% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Lempster 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% |
12.8%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sheldon and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 26.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.4%±3.5 U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Lempster 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% |
28.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
6.1%±2.6Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Lempster and Bath 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. |
$86,607±$12kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Lempster and Sheldon 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. |
$241,900±$29k 27% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kHighest 18% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Lempster 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 |
— | $1,286±$379Lowest 9% below U.S. |
| Bath and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,413 41% above U.S. |
$4,558Highest 46% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 5.9%±61.3 U.S.: 51.1% |
100%±100Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Lempster and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.1%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
7.2% U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.9% U.S.: 65.2% |
98.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1977Lowest 3 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min 3% below U.S. |
37 minHighest 41% above U.S. |
25 minLowest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.1%±3.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
5%±2.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Sheldon and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | Bath School District | Lempster School District | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.