Compare towns
Orange vs Bath vs Walden
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Orange has the most affordable homes ($222k median).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Walden has the highest household income ($88k).
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 | Orange | Bath | Walden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 957Lowest |
8,815Highest |
1,037 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -2.2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+3%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+2.2% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50.3±5.3Highest 29% above U.S. |
45.4±3Lowest 17% above U.S. |
48.8±3.2 25% above U.S. |
| Orange and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.6%±4.7Highest U.S.: 22% |
15.5%±3.7 U.S.: 22% |
14.3%±3.9Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Orange and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
25.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
20.4%±2.6 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bath and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 22.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
42.5%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
26.4% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
5.5%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
4%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bath and Walden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $71,302±$13k 12% below U.S. |
$69,390±$12kLowest 14% below U.S. |
$88,000±$15kHighest 9% above U.S. |
| Walden and Orange are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $222,000±$22kLowest 33% below U.S. |
$310,900±$30kHighest 7% below U.S. |
$238,900±$23k 28% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,330±$153Highest 6% below U.S. |
$1,044±$116 26% below U.S. |
$900±$136Lowest 36% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,545Lowest 14% above U.S. |
$3,847 23% above U.S. |
$3,944Highest 26% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±87Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
51.3%±15.2 U.S.: 51.1% |
56.3%±86.8Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Walden and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 7.6%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
12.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
9.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 87.8% U.S.: 65.2% |
64.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
93.8%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1981 1 yr newer than U.S. |
1938Lowest 42 yrs older than U.S. |
1983Highest 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minHighest 6% above U.S. |
24 minLowest 9% below U.S. |
26 min about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 13.5%±4.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19.3%±6 U.S.: 15.1% |
21.4%±6.7Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Walden and Bath 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 | Echo Valley Community Union School District #67 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | Caledonia Cooperative Unified School District #78 |
| 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.