Compare towns
Bowdoinham vs Lisbon vs Topsham vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bowdoinham has the highest household income ($108k).
Lisbon has the most affordable homes ($258k median).
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
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 | Bowdoinham | Lisbon | Topsham | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 3,142Lowest |
9,750Highest |
9,706 |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.5% ME: +2.6% |
+7.8% ME: +2.6% |
+8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 51.9±13.1Highest 16% above ME |
38.4±2.9Lowest 14% below ME |
44.7±4 about the ME average |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Bowdoinham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17.5%±6.8 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±4Highest ME: 18.1% |
19.9%±3.6 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Lisbon and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 21.4%±6.7 ME: 22.4% |
16.2%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
24.4%±3.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.8% ME: 36.2% |
23.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 0.7%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.3%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
4.9%±1.8 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,479±$21kHighest 45% above ME |
$77,819±$9k 4% above ME |
$91,028±$10k 22% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Bowdoinham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $405,500±$105kHighest 37% above ME |
$258,300±$26kLowest 13% below ME |
$360,800±$20k 22% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
| Bowdoinham and Topsham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $979±$286Lowest 14% below ME |
$1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| Topsham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $2,958Lowest about the ME average |
$3,324 9% above ME |
$4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 100%±19.4Highest ME: 48.4% |
43.4%±14.2 ME: 48.4% |
40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Below poverty line | 13.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
5.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 93.8%Highest ME: 74.3% |
74.8% ME: 74.3% |
78.9% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1985Highest 8 yrs newer than ME |
1973 4 yrs older than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min 10% above ME |
29 minHighest 17% above ME |
24 minLowest 4% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22%±11.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
18.1%±9.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.2%±4.3Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Bowdoinham and Bath 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 | #73 of 133 in ME | #60 of 133 in ME | #66 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | Lisbon Public Schools | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | Lisbon High School | Mt Ararat High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 15.8Highest |
12.2Lowest |
14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | 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.