Compare towns
Ellsworth vs Wells 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 the most affordable homes ($242k median).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
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 | Wells | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 8,657Lowest |
11,713Highest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.5% ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 43±2.4Lowest 4% below ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| Kids under 18 | 18.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4 ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Ellsworth and Wells 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% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Wells 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%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.3%±2 ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5Lowest 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±$18k 4% above ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$69,390±$12kLowest 7% below ME |
| Wells and Ellsworth 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 |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,017±$195Lowest 11% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| Wells 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 |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.1%±15.7Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest 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% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 66.7% ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980 3 yrs newer than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 25 min about the ME average |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
24 minLowest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 7.1%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Wells 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 | #22 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Ellsworth Public Schools | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Ellsworth High School | Wells High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.7 |
11.4Lowest |
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.