What stands out worked out from the figures below

Hope has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.5%).

West Bath has the oldest population (median age 54.2).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Hope	West Bath
People
Population	1,748Lowest	1,863Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+10.5%Highest ME: +2.6%	+1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6%
Median age	44.6±3.1Lowest about the ME average	54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME
Kids under 18	23.3%±5.4Highest ME: 18.1%	14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1%
	Hope and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	21.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 22.4%	29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.4%Lowest ME: 36.2%	50.7%Highest ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.1%±1.3Lowest ME: 5.8%	4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8%
	West Bath and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$86,766±$6kLowest 16% above ME	$103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME
	West Bath and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$373,400±$33kLowest 26% above ME	$422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME
	West Bath and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,219±$182Highest 7% above ME	$1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average
	Hope and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,842Highest 27% above ME	$3,516Lowest 16% above ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.8%±38.7Lowest ME: 48.4%	41.1%±26.3Highest ME: 48.4%
	West Bath and Hope are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.3%Highest ME: 10.7%	3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	92.9%Highest ME: 74.3%	82.3%Lowest ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year	1991Highest 14 yrs newer than ME	1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	20 minLowest 19% below ME	21 minHighest 16% below ME
Work from home	18.3%±10.2Highest ME: 15.9%	17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9%
	Hope and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district	Hope Public Schools	West Bath Public Schools
High school in town	None in town	None in town
On TownTapestry
Old photos in Our Story	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.