Compare towns
West Bath vs Boothbay vs Bath vs Phippsburg
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).
Boothbay has the shortest commute (13 min average).
Bath has grown the fastest since 2010 (+3%).
Phippsburg has the highest household income ($108k).
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 | Boothbay | Bath | Phippsburg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
3,102 |
8,815Highest |
2,238 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
-3.8%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
+3%Highest ME: +2.6% |
-2.8% ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
56.8±3.9Highest 27% above ME |
45.4±3Lowest about the ME average |
54.3±6.3 21% above ME |
| Boothbay and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 14.7%±4.2 ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.8Lowest ME: 18.1% |
15.5%±3.7Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.5%±3.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Bath and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 29.4%±4.2 ME: 22.4% |
35.4%±7.8Highest ME: 22.4% |
25.2%±4.1Lowest ME: 22.4% |
34.4%±3.1 ME: 22.4% |
| Boothbay and Phippsburg are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 50.7% ME: 36.2% |
51.9%Highest ME: 36.2% |
42.5% ME: 36.2% |
37.7%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
6%±3.2Highest ME: 5.8% |
5.5%±2 ME: 5.8% |
2.3%±1.6Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Boothbay and Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $103,333±$27k 38% above ME |
$60,320±$17kLowest 19% below ME |
$69,390±$12k 7% below ME |
$107,833±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
| Phippsburg and West Bath 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 |
$342,100±$43k 15% above ME |
$310,900±$30kLowest 5% above ME |
$335,800±$47k 13% above ME |
| West Bath and Boothbay 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 |
$1,147±$121Highest about the ME average |
$1,044±$116 8% below ME |
$1,022±$346Lowest 10% below ME |
| Boothbay and West Bath 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 |
$2,202 27% below ME |
$3,847Highest 27% above ME |
$2,034Lowest 33% below ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
30.4%±31Lowest ME: 48.4% |
51.3%±15.2Highest ME: 48.4% |
35.5%±98.7 ME: 48.4% |
| Bath 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% |
6.8% ME: 10.7% |
12.4%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.5% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3%Highest ME: 74.3% |
78.4% ME: 74.3% |
64.3%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
81.8% ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1976 1 yr older than ME |
1938Lowest 39 yrs older than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 min 16% below ME |
13 minLowest 46% below ME |
24 minHighest about the ME average |
21 min 13% below ME |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9 ME: 15.9% |
5.7%±2.8Lowest ME: 15.9% |
19.3%±6Highest ME: 15.9% |
11.7%±4.7 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 | — | RSU 01 - LKRSU | RSU 01 - LKRSU |
| 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 Our Story | 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.