Compare towns
Eliot vs Bath vs Saco vs Wells
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Eliot has the highest household income ($102k).
Bath has the most affordable homes ($311k median).
Saco has the youngest population (median age 44.9).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Eliot | Bath | Saco | Wells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 7,146Lowest |
8,815 |
20,819Highest |
11,713 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+10.3% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
44.9±1.5Lowest about the ME average |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 16.3%±3.9 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
16.7%±2.5 ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 27.8%±6.2 ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
18.5%±2.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.5% ME: 36.2% |
43.3% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.2%±1.2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $101,522±$10kHighest 36% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
$92,241±$11k 23% above ME |
$88,024±$11k 18% above ME |
| Eliot and Saco are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $498,900±$62kHighest 68% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$413,100±$17k 39% above ME |
$485,300±$23k 64% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,948±$471Highest 71% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,249±$385 10% above ME |
$1,350±$297 19% above ME |
| Eliot and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549 50% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$4,807Highest 58% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
50.3%±14 ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Eliot and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 4.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
6.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
72.8% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1982 5 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 23 minLowest 9% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
24 min 3% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
19%±3.6 ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Saco 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | #38 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Saco Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town | Wells High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8Highest |
— | 11.4Lowest |
| 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.