Compare towns
West Bath vs Appleton vs Mapleton vs Bath
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
West Bath has the most expensive homes ($423k median).
Appleton has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.2%).
Mapleton has the most kids (22.2% under 18).
Bath has the most renters (35.7% rent).
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 | West Bath | Appleton | Mapleton | Bath |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,863 |
1,360Lowest |
1,884 |
8,815Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-3.2%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
49.2±7.4 10% above ME |
41.8±6Lowest 7% below ME |
45.4±3 about the ME average |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.3%±2.7 ME: 18.1% |
22.2%±5.1Highest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7 ME: 18.1% |
| Mapleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2Highest ME: 22.4% |
26.1%±9.3 ME: 22.4% |
18.3%±3.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1 ME: 22.4% |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7%Highest ME: 36.2% |
34.1%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
34.3% ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.9 ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2Highest ME: 5.8% |
| Bath and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27kHighest 38% above ME |
$53,618±$19kLowest 28% below ME |
$91,731±$25k 23% above ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
| West Bath and Mapleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $422,800±$102kHighest 43% above ME |
$235,600±$33k 21% below ME |
$191,800±$23kLowest 35% below ME |
$310,900±$30k 5% above ME |
| West Bath and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327Highest about the ME average |
$1,104±$82 3% below ME |
$610±$277Lowest 46% below ME |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
| West Bath and Appleton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516 16% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$1,789Lowest 41% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
16.7%±10.5Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2 ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 3.2%Lowest ME: 10.7% |
9.7% ME: 10.7% |
8.9% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
79.9% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1977 same as ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
28 min 13% above ME |
24 min about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5 ME: 15.9% |
10.8%±3.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Bath and West 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 | West Bath Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | RSU 79/MSAD 01 | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | None in town | Morse High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | — | 14.8 |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | 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.