Compare towns
West Bath vs Appleton vs Newcastle
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 highest household income ($103k).
Appleton has the most affordable homes ($236k median).
Newcastle has the most people working from home (20.2%).
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.
| Measure | West Bath | Appleton | Newcastle |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863 |
1,360Lowest |
1,913Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+7.2%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+5.5% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6Highest 21% above ME |
49.2±7.4Lowest 10% above ME |
49.4±7 10% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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% |
17.8%±3.4Highest ME: 18.1% |
| Newcastle and Appleton 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% |
24.4%±1.4Lowest 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% |
45.1% ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.7%±2.4Lowest ME: 5.8% |
4.2%±2 ME: 5.8% |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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 |
$89,868±$33k 20% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle 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±$33kLowest 21% below ME |
$398,000±$41k 34% above ME |
| West Bath and Newcastle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327 about the ME average |
$1,104±$82Lowest 3% below ME |
$1,363±$81Highest 20% above ME |
| Newcastle and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,516Lowest 16% above ME |
$3,588 18% above ME |
$4,256Highest 40% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
85.4%±100Highest ME: 48.4% |
5.8%±16.2Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Appleton and West 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%Highest ME: 10.7% |
3.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
82.6%Highest ME: 74.3% |
80.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983Lowest 6 yrs newer than ME |
1988Highest 11 yrs newer than ME |
1984 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
30 minHighest 23% above ME |
17 minLowest 30% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
11.1%±3.5Lowest ME: 15.9% |
20.2%±4.6Highest ME: 15.9% |
| Newcastle and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | Appleton Public Schools | — |
| High school in town | None in town | None in town | — |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.