Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Penobscot 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%).
Penobscot has the most homeowners (84.2%).
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 | Penobscot | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657 |
1,154Lowest |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-10.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
53.4±5.7Highest 19% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Penobscot and Bath 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% |
18%±6 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 22.1%±3.3Lowest ME: 22.4% |
32%±4.5Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Penobscot and Bath 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% |
32.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
42.5%Highest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
1%±0.9Lowest 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 |
$63,194±$14kLowest 15% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
| Ellsworth and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $242,300±$22kLowest 18% below ME |
$296,400±$58k about the ME average |
$310,900±$30kHighest 5% above ME |
| Bath and Penobscot are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,141±$33Highest about the ME average |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| Penobscot and Bath 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 |
$1,852Lowest 39% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7 ME: 48.4% |
73.9%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Penobscot and Ellsworth 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% |
16%Highest ME: 10.7% |
12.4% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
84.2%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1979 2 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.7%±13.5 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Penobscot 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 | #63 of 133 in ME | — | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Penobscot Public Schools | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7Lowest |
— | 14.8Highest |
| 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.