Compare towns
Topsham vs Bath vs Orland
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Topsham has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.8%).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
Orland has the oldest population (median age 50.6).
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 | Topsham | Bath | Orland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 9,706Highest |
8,815 |
1,915Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +8.8%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
-0.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 44.7±4Lowest about the ME average |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
50.6±4.2Highest 13% above ME |
| Orland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.9%±3.6Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
14.8%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Topsham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 24.4%±3.2Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
27.5%±2Highest ME: 22.4% |
| Orland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
31.4%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.9%±1.8Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
5.8%±4.6Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Orland and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $91,028±$10kHighest 22% above ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$69,348±$29kLowest 7% below ME |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $360,800±$20kHighest 22% above ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
$277,100±$20kLowest 7% below ME |
| Topsham and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,355±$642Highest 19% above ME |
$1,044±$116Lowest 8% below ME |
$1,149±$177 about the ME average |
| Topsham and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,259Highest 40% above ME |
$3,847 27% above ME |
$2,089Lowest 31% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 40.3%±12.9Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
45%±23.8 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath and Orland are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 6.4%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.1% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 78.9% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
87.5%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1980Highest 3 yrs newer than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1978 1 yr newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 minLowest 4% below ME |
24 min about the ME average |
40 minHighest 62% above ME |
| Work from home | 17.2%±4.3 ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
17%±11.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and Topsham 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 | #66 of 133 in ME | #31 of 133 in ME | — |
| School district | RSU 75/MSAD 75 | RSU 01 - LKRSU | — |
| High school in town | Mt Ararat High School | Morse High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.2Lowest |
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.