Compare towns
Boothbay vs Bristol
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).
Bristol has the most people working from home (25%).
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 | Bristol |
|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||
| People | ||
| Population | 3,102Highest |
2,917Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+2.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 56.8±3.9Lowest 27% above ME |
61±3.2Highest 36% above ME |
| Bristol and Boothbay 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% |
13.9%±4.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Bristol and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Age 65+ | 35.4%±7.8Lowest ME: 22.4% |
42.8%±8.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bristol and Boothbay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.9%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
52.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
1.4%±1.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Cost of living | ||
| Household incomemedian | $60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$100,750±$19kHighest 35% above ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $342,100±$43kLowest 15% above ME |
$406,400±$54kHighest 37% above ME |
| Bristol 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 |
$1,051±$106Lowest 8% below ME |
| Boothbay and Bristol 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 |
$2,668Highest 12% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 30.4%±31Highest ME: 48.4% |
23.4%±19.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Boothbay and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.4%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
88.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 1 yr older than ME |
1968Lowest 9 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||
| Average commuteone way | 13 minLowest 46% below ME |
18 minHighest 28% below ME |
| Work from home | 5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
25%±8.3Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | ||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #16 of 133 in ME |
| School district | — | Bristol Public Schools |
| High school in town | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | ||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.