Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Jay vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellsworth has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.5%).
Jay has the most affordable homes ($169k median).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
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 | Ellsworth | Jay | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657 |
4,657Lowest |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-4.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4 4% below ME |
39.5±5.1Lowest 12% below ME |
45.4±3Highest about the ME average |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
17.5%±5.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3 ME: 22.4% |
19.3%±4.7Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 39.3% ME: 36.2% |
29.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±3.2Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $77,375±$18kHighest 4% above ME |
$70,238±$19k 6% below ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Jay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22k 18% below ME |
$168,600±$27kLowest 43% below ME |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195 11% below ME |
$759±$141Lowest 33% below ME |
$1,044±$116Highest 8% below ME |
| Bath and Ellsworth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,262 7% above ME |
$2,245Lowest 26% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±28.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
82.7%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 minHighest about the ME average |
21 minLowest 13% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8 ME: 15.9% |
4.8%±5.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #63 of 133 in ME | #86 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | RSU 73 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Spruce Mountain High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
12.7Lowest |
14.8Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 5 photos → | 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.