Compare towns
West Bath vs Freeport vs St. George
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 shortest commute (21 min average).
Freeport has grown the fastest since 2010 (+10.9%).
St. George has the most affordable homes ($356k median).
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 | Freeport | St. George |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 1,863Lowest |
8,802Highest |
2,606 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.8% ME: +2.6% |
+10.9%Highest ME: +2.6% |
+0.1%Lowest ME: +2.6% |
| Median age | 54.2±5.6 21% above ME |
48.8±4.3Lowest 9% above ME |
58.3±9.8Highest 30% above ME |
| St. George and West Bath 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% |
19.4%±3.5Highest ME: 18.1% |
11.1%±5.1Lowest ME: 18.1% |
| Freeport 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% |
26.7%±4.9Lowest ME: 22.4% |
39.2%±8.6Highest ME: 22.4% |
| St. George and West Bath 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% |
59.6%Highest ME: 36.2% |
46.6%Lowest ME: 36.2% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.3 ME: 5.8% |
5%±2.3Highest ME: 5.8% |
3.1%±2.3Lowest ME: 5.8% |
| Freeport and West 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 |
$107,326±$19kHighest 44% above ME |
$89,155±$10kLowest 19% above ME |
| Freeport 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±$102k 43% above ME |
$508,400±$76kHighest 71% above ME |
$356,300±$79kLowest 20% above ME |
| Freeport and West Bath are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,112±$327Lowest about the ME average |
$1,439±$123 26% above ME |
$1,465±$293Highest 29% above ME |
| St. George and Freeport 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 |
$5,042Highest 66% above ME |
$3,359Lowest 11% above ME |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 41.1%±26.3 ME: 48.4% |
62%±18.9Highest ME: 48.4% |
27.2%±35.8Lowest ME: 48.4% |
| Freeport 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% |
8.5%Highest ME: 10.7% |
7.7% ME: 10.7% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82.3% ME: 74.3% |
77.6%Lowest ME: 74.3% |
86.1%Highest ME: 74.3% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1983 6 yrs newer than ME |
1984Highest 7 yrs newer than ME |
1976Lowest 1 yr older than ME |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 16% below ME |
24 min 4% below ME |
25 minHighest about the ME average |
| Work from home | 17.1%±6.9Lowest ME: 15.9% |
21.2%±5.8Highest ME: 15.9% |
20.1%±11.8 ME: 15.9% |
| Freeport and St. George 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 | — | #4 of 133 in ME | #46 of 133 in ME |
| School district | West Bath Public Schools | RSU 05 | St George Public Schools |
| High school in town | None in town | Freeport High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 12.2 |
— |
| 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.