Compare towns
Fairfield vs Bath vs Sheldon
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Fairfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.1%).
Bath has the most people working from home (19.3%).
Sheldon has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
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 | Fairfield | Bath | Sheldon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,938Lowest |
8,815Highest |
2,267 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3% U.S.: +7.4% |
-2.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.3±2.7 9% above U.S. |
45.4±3Highest 17% above U.S. |
40.9±3.5Lowest 5% above U.S. |
| Bath and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 25.4%±5Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest U.S.: 22% |
23.7%±3.6 U.S.: 22% |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 14.3%±1.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
12.6%±2.3Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
14.7%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 3.5%±1.6 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
2%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $87,019±$22kHighest 8% above U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$78,533±$25k about the U.S. average |
| Fairfield and Sheldon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $320,600±$22kHighest 4% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30k 7% below U.S. |
$272,400±$61kLowest 18% below U.S. |
| Fairfield and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,056±$441 25% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116Lowest 26% below U.S. |
$1,286±$379Highest 9% below U.S. |
| Sheldon and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,816Highest 54% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,578Lowest 15% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 29.2%±20.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±27Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bath and Fairfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.1%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 88.5% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
89%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 8% below U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
25 minHighest 5% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 7.8%±3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
13%±3.7 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Bath and Sheldon 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 | — | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | Maple Run Unified Union School District #57 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Northern Mountain Valley Unified Union School District #85 |
| High school in town | None in town | Morse High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 14.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. 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.