Compare towns
Eliot vs Ellsworth 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
Eliot has the most expensive homes ($499k median).
Ellsworth has the most affordable homes ($242k median).
West Bath has the shortest commute (21 min average).
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 | Ellsworth | West Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,146 |
8,657Highest |
1,863Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.3% ME: +2.6% |
+8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 50.8±5.9 13% above ME |
43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
| West Bath 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% |
18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Eliot 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% |
22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath 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% ME: 36.2% |
39.3%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2%±1.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.3%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
| Ellsworth 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 | $101,522±$10k 36% above ME |
$77,375±$18kLowest 4% above ME |
$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
| West Bath and Eliot 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 |
$242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$422,800±$102k 43% above ME |
| Eliot and West Bath 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 |
$1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,112±$327 about the ME average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,549Highest 50% above ME |
$3,262Lowest 7% above ME |
$3,516 16% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.1%±20.1 ME: 48.4% |
62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
41.1%±26.3Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Eliot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 4.8% ME: 10.7% |
9.3%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 79.8% ME: 74.3% |
66.7%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1979Lowest 2 yrs newer than ME |
1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1983Highest 6 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 23 min 9% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 minLowest 16% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.4%±4.7Highest ME: 15.9% |
7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
| Eliot and West 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 | #19 of 133 in ME | #63 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 35/MSAD 35 | Ellsworth Public Schools | West Bath Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.7 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | 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.