Compare towns
Rockland 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
Rockland has the shortest commute (12 min average).
Wells has grown the fastest since 2010 (+18%).
Bath has the youngest population (median age 45.4).
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 | Rockland | Wells | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 7,035Lowest |
11,713Highest |
8,815 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -4.9%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+18%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 49.3±6 10% above ME |
53.6±3.8Highest 20% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
| Wells and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
18%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Wells and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 25.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
31%±3.3Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
| Wells and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
43.3%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 2.4%±2.1Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.5%±1.5 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $56,533±$6kLowest 24% below ME |
$88,024±$11kHighest 18% above ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
| Wells and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $245,800±$38kLowest 17% below ME |
$485,300±$23kHighest 64% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,092±$105 4% below ME |
$1,350±$297Highest 19% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
| Wells and Rockland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,059Highest 34% above ME |
$3,215Lowest 6% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.6%±15.3Highest ME: 48.4% |
42.1%±19.6Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Rockland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 10.4% ME: 10.7% |
6.8%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
90.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
64.3% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1948 29 yrs older than ME |
1989Highest 12 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 12 minLowest 50% below ME |
28 minHighest 12% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 22.1%±7.5Highest ME: 15.9% |
17.8%±4.2Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6 ME: 15.9% |
| Rockland 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 | #96 of 133 in ME | #22 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Rockland-Region 8 · RSU 13 | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | Oceanside High School | Wells High School | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.7Lowest |
11.4 |
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.