Compare towns
Boothbay vs Bowdoin vs West Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Bowdoin has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.5%).
West Bath has the most people working from home (17.1%).
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 | Boothbay | Bowdoin | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 3,102 |
3,188Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
44.3±10Lowest about the ME average |
54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
| Boothbay and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
19.1%±6.2Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
| Bowdoin and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
14.1%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
30.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
2.5%±2.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay 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 | $60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$91,239±$13k 22% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Bowdoin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
$292,800±$71kLowest about the ME average |
$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
| West Bath and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
— | $1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
| Boothbay and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,202Lowest 27% below ME |
$3,375 11% above ME |
$3,516Highest 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31 ME: 48.4% |
0%±42.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
| West Bath and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.8% ME: 10.7% |
11%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
84.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
82.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
1992Highest 15 yrs newer than ME |
1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
32 minHighest 29% above ME |
21 min 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±7 ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9Highest ME: 15.9% |
| West Bath and Bowdoin 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 | — | #28 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | — | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.